Bloody Purity
by BleedingNightshade
Summary: There was always two different natures to balance each other out. Day and night. Pleasure and pain. Purity and corruption. The two different sides can not exist without one another. When a pure miko becomes the chosen prey for a pack of corrupted predators, not even the Fates know if she will make it out alive or if her bright light will be crushed beneath their darkness.
1. Chapter One

**_Disclaimer_**

I do not own any of the characters or either anime/mange/game. The basic storyline and characters were already created. Diabolic Lovers is the property of Rejet and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. I am simply borrowing the characters to satisfying my own boredom and curiosity. This should be obvious as this is _fanfiction_. However, I will repeat the disclaimer to remind you every five or six chapters.

* * *

**_Chapter One_**

_I knew from the beginning there was something strange about them. I had been around yokais, gods and men but they were different. The very air around them screamed of darkness and crimson blood dripped off of their auras. I chose to stay away. Every time a group of good looking men got involved in my life, it always went to Hell. I wanted nothing to do with them but they decided that they were going to have me . . . by force if needed._

**_-Kagome Higurashi_**

* * *

They were predators at heart. Not like the tamed wolves that roamed their cages or the large cats that prowled the open lands. No, they were something more deadly and more beastly than any animal ever found or ever will be found. They were monsters from your darkest dreams and the most sinful desires that lurked in your heart. They could not be tamed because the truth was, they were designed to torture and kill all they touched.

Everything about them drew their prey closer to them. Their unearthly looks and beauty first catches their prey's attention, making the human curious. Their voice hypnotizes them into compliance once they were close enough. Their fangs were weapons that could either give a pleasurable death or a tortuous existence. They were made to cull the herd of humans and just like the tiger feels no pity for the mouse, the vampires typically held no emotions for the humans.

Like most predators, their senses were stronger than that of their prey's. Taste, sight, touch, hearing and smell ruled their lives and helped them to pick their prey. Once their target was chosen, instincts guided their movements to getting their meal. The same senses and instincts were the driving power that kept them alive.

As time passed by, their instincts had to change. They had to appear more human to not be spotted. They had to restrain themselves from gorging in public, from taking any and all the humans that appealed to their senses and killing anyone that stood in their way. Due to the Sakamaki brothers' young appearances, they even had to attempt schooling despite their disinterest in it.

Despite it all, they were never once tamed.

Yui was an example of their adaptive nature. Her blood and heart appealed to them, drawing them in like the beasts they were. She was given to them, all wrapped in a pretty pink bow and decorated with flowers. Her blood tempted them and her sweet nature made them all crave to corrupt her. She was the ultimate prize, a meal that was delicious but pretty. She was a pet that could be kept in their home, available to them at any time with no chance of escaping.

That was why they kept her for so long. Her blood would satisfy them and she was too soft-natured to fight back against them. They sampled her slowly, keeping her as their own prized cattle. Despite their actions and their behavior, they were not human but there were moments when Yui made them feel human. While they corrupted her, sending her inch by inch into her grave, her hoax holiness bathed them in light, soothing their savageness.

If humans didn't suffer from such short lives, they may have even grown to love her as time passed by but they were never granted this opportunity. It was a tragic accident, truly it was. Yui was always a clumsy creature, especially when ruled by her emotions and after a particularly rough feeding, she fled through the house, her tear droplets marking her path.

It happened too fast for them to stop it. A simple slip on the stairs and a crash echoed through the house. The scent of her blood roused the predators from their slumber and they were on the scene in seconds. It was seconds too late to save their precious bride.

One of her legs was broken in multiple places, shards of bone sticking out, tearing muscles and skin. Both of her arms were at a weird angles and many wounds covered her body, staining her clothes crimson. Their sharp ears could hear the rasping of her breath and they could see the blood pooling up in her mouth. It appeared like one of her lungs had been punctured by a broken rib. One look at her and they knew there was no hope. She was alive now but she would bled out before any help could be given to her.

Such a shame. _Such a waste._

They fell upon her, hypnotized by the crimson liquid. Fangs dug deep, uncaring if they were causing pain or not. It would not matter in a few minutes. Her heart pumped weakly, giving a final gift to the six brothers that had cared and sheltered her, even if it was for their own selfish needs. Bright pink eyes dimmed before shutting forever, leaving the brothers without their sacred food source.

Some of them mourned the passing of their bride. She had lasted the longest out of all of the sacrifices and she was the most innocent and sweetest one. Instead of stuffing her, they gave her a real funeral complete with a head stone. The gravestone held no writing on it but they knew who rested below that patch of ground and that was all that was needed. Subaru would sometimes leave white roses on her grave and Kanato would talk to the stone like he use to talk to his Teddy. It was only after her death that they showed they could be men at the same time as being monsters.

Like all events, time soon erased the sting of the memory. They no longer mourned her. There were times when her sweet voice would echo in their minds or her memories would dance in their sleep but she faded into the dust, a blurry image to lurk on the edge of their visions.

The predators soon grew hungry again but the church refused to send them anymore brides. The human herds were growing suspicious and they had to care for their own kind before they could sacrifice to appease the beasts. The brothers fell back on old instincts and started to hunt for themselves.

Many women fell victim to their fangs. A quick meal was all they were. Their screams were pleasurable to the vampires, their struggles futile but their death helped to soothe the thirst the brothers felt. It was not the same after Yui though. They were used to having their meal at their home, living besides them and ready to serve them when needed. They no longer felt the need to hunt and tease their prey. It was too tiresome. They wanted something _easier_.

Nobody could claim who smelt her first. At first it was just a thin thread of scent dancing on the wind and lingering on the walls. It was pure, delicious and aged like a fine wine and for days, they each privately hunted for her. None of them were aware that her scent had drawn the attention of all the brothers and just like before, each brother wanted her for himself.

. ~: . V . :~ .

It was no secret that Shu was bored of life. Very little could excite him anymore so he wanted nothing to do with those around him. His responsibilities were pushed onto Reiji and as long as his family kept quiet, then they could do whatever they wanted and it would not have concerned him.

She was a different case though. At first, he would claim it was her sweet blood combined with the scent of dog on her clothes. Shu had always had a soft spot for canines and finding a virgin in this age was nearly impossible. He was immediately awake at the light smell of her scent and tracking her down before he could think about his actions.

Around a school, into a shop, through several alleys and finally it grew stronger once he reached the steps that lead to a shrine at the top of a hill. He could see the back of her as she bounced up the steps while whistling a low tune. Her white and green school uniform was deliciously short and her black hair contrasted nicely against her cream skin. As Shu watched, she started to shout out for her family.

"Momma, I'm home!"

She had a beautiful voice. He wanted to hear her sing. Her pants and moans would tortured his ears and at the height of her crescendo, she'd call his name and he'd plunge his fangs into her neck. Her scream of pleasure would morph into a scream of pain. Or maybe he would choose her thigh or the swell of her breast to drink from, her pleasure and pain adding to her already delicious blood. It was tough to decide which one he would prefer more so Shu knew he would just have to try them all before choosing a favorite.

He moved to follow her up the stairs but as soon as his foot connected with the first step, searing pain traveled up his leg. Shu hissed loudly and yanked his foot back, unsure to feeling such agony. It felt so pure, so holy that it caused his dead heart to clinch in pain. The young woman paused half-way up the stairs, her small hands traveling to clutch at her chest.

She turned on her heels, moving faster than Shu expected a human was capable of. Her sapphire blue eyes locked with his cerulean blue eyes, prey focused on predator. As her body tensed another lash of pain traveled its way through the eldest son's body. He hissed again, taking a step back and away from her intense gaze. She reached a hand out, probably to offer him assistance but from behind her, a large dog charged at him. Wild barks, vicious snarls and slobbered covered teeth were heading straight towards the vampire as the dog instinctively recognizing the threat to his mistress.

The woman lunged forward, trying to grab the collar of her hound but Shu was already gone. The mutt paused his attack, growling at the spot the vampire had previously stood at seconds ago. Canine and human looked around in confusion but the setting sun revealed no other beings around them.

Shu decided he would be back, there was no doubt about that. Despite the mysterious pain, he found himself intrigued and drawn to the small woman. Her voice was too beautiful to pass and her blood was the sweetest one he had ever come across, even stronger than Yui's blood.

He had to have her.

. ~: . V . :~ .

It was her horrified, pained cries that first drew Subaru's attention to her. Under the midnight stars her voice shattered the still, quiet air. Subaru paused his hunting, his red eyes still locked on the woman traveling alone so late at night. Subaru was hungry and he had planned to kill the stray woman before him but as he took another step closer, another torturous scream made him pause.

It was a familiar sound to him. It was a broken cry that pleaded silently for help that she knew would not come. For a split second, Subaru was not the man he had become. He was just a small boy, listening to the screams of another broken woman who meant the world to him. Curiosity made him abandoned his hunt so he could discover the source.

He found himself in front of a house, below a two-story window. She was still screaming, her pained cries echoing through the small house, which was just a modern tower. It was a place built out of stone and meant to keep outsiders away. The memories were too much, too alike for Subaru.

A twitch of his muscles and Subaru found himself inside the house, in the same bedroom that the screams originated from. In a room with too much pink, a young woman tossed and turned in her slumber. Across her legs a large wolf hybrid tried to comfort his mistress, nosing her gently in an effort to soothe her fears.

The woman was appealing with her too pale skin, hair as black as the sky outside and a thin nightgown that exposed more flesh than covered it. Her eyes moved restlessly from under her eyelids and her fingers trembled and clenched onto her blanket, holding onto it like it was her lifeline. Her most fascinating feature was the dozens of silver scars that marred her flesh.

She looked so pained and tortured. Even her canine was more concerned about comforting his mistress than scaring off the intruder that stood beside her. Her heart was beating wildly, ready to burst straight out of her chest. The scent of her racing virgin's blood caused Subaru's fangs to ache and he wanted nothing more than to spill her blood and tastes its unique blend.

A soft voice, one forgotten after years of her death, started to whisper in his mind. Yui reminded him of his fears and past that he told her one night in secret. He remembered his mother begging for death but he had been too weak to give it to her. He condemned his mother to a miserable existence because he was weak, filthy child. Did this woman deserve the same damned consequences?

Subaru reached a hand forward, ignoring the low growl from the pet and gave this strange woman his most prized possession. A small silver dagger found itself nestled under her pillow, its sharp edges safely hidden so it wouldn't cut her in her sleep. Subaru would not kill her himself as he felt no love for the stranger but he would give her a means to escape if she loved herself enough.

A young boy soon burst into the room. Souta had a chance to glimpse a pale ghost-like figure leaning over his sister's bed but in the next second, it was gone. His sister still laid screaming in her bed, the nightmares tormenting her as they had been doing for several months. Souta reached forward and shook the young woman awake and then held her tightly as she dissolved into tears. It was a nightly routine that both siblings had grown use too.

Subaru watched from a nearby tree as the siblings interacted. They were much differently from his brothers and him. They embraced with love and care, the young boy comforting the crying woman like a parent would a child. It was a sweet sight and it immediately made Subaru want to tear them apart with his bare hands.

A few days later, Subaru made another nightly trip to the shrine. She was asleep, this time dreaming peacefully. The youngest had his curiosity peeked as he noticed the silver dagger resting on the nightstand by her bed. So she had found his gift but she had chosen to not use it.

What an interesting mortal.

. ~: . V . :~ .**_  
_**

The self-proclaimed head of the Sakamaki family was not hunting when he ran into the beautiful woman. He was at a little shop, looking for a new kitchenware set. He had not been fast enough to save his last one and it fell victim to his brothers' rough nature. Or rather, it fell to the floor and shattered into a dozen pieces as each of the brothers blamed each other.

He was currently debating between two different sets. One was painted with dainty blue and pink flowers along the rims and the other had a more tribal looking design with the pattern being pitch black. He was reaching a hand out towards the multicolored set when a lithe body draped itself across the table, her own hands reaching for the exact same set.

For a brief second Reiji's hand twitched towards his pocket where his leather crop was usually hidden. It was the chatter of the humans around him that drew his hand back and made him settle for just glaring at the undignified woman who was now inspecting the kitchenware set with sharp eyes. It would not do to make a scene in a public area with so many witnesses around.

She must have noticed his icy glare because fear started to fill her scent as she peeked over her shoulder at Reiji. Wisely she took a step away from him and turned so her back wasn't to him as she started to stammer out an apology.

"I-I-I'm sorry. I don't believe I saw you there."

"Obviously," Reiji sniped back. "May I see the plate?"

"Sure but I think I'm going to buy it." Shyly, the young woman offered the plate to him, her midnight black hair falling into her face as she bowed her head in apology.

Reiji made a show of exploring the plate with his gloved fingers. He could feel the smoothness of the ceramic plate and the slight bumps from the design under his probing digits. The longer he pretended to be examining it, the more the young woman fidgeted before him. Reiji watched her in amusement, taking joy in her distress.

With a final sniff he handed the plate back, much to the woman's relief. A bright smile raced across her lips and startling blue eyes suddenly peered up at him from beneath her hair. She handled the dish with care, cradling it close to her chest as if to protect it from being stolen again.

"Take it, I do not want it," Reiji responded darkly.

"Are you sure?" She inquired shyly. "If you want it, I'm sure I can find another set."

His next actions were out of character for him but Reiji blamed her scent, which filled the shop and made his mouth water uncontrollably. It was difficult to resist and the smell alone taunted his inner hunter. Reiji found himself behind her, his chest pressed to her back with one hand resting on her shoulder and the other hand gently pulling the plate away from her chest. The woman jolted in surprise and a distress squeak left her lips as the vampire pressed his cheek close to her pulsing throat, his sharp nose running along the fleshy column.

"I have no need for an item that is anything but perfect." His gloved hand tapped the bottom of the plate, where a small, almost invisible fissure ran along one of the edges. "That little crack will ruin the whole set, making it worthless."

"Please respect my personal space." Her voice sounded strong but Reiji's sharp ears could pick up the slight tremble.

"'Gome, did you find a gift yet?" A young male's voice suddenly sounded behind them both.

The woman's reaction was instantaneous. Fear flashed in her eyes and she immediately swung out of Reiji's grip. At the same time her free hand thrust itself out, just barely brushing the vampire's shirt but the pain was anything but soft. There was a spark of pink light from the center of her palm and then blazing fire filled Reiji's chest. His mouth flew open in a silent roar, his long fangs bared to the world but thankfully only the woman called 'Gome saw. Before he could recover the woman was already out of his reach and herding a younger boy away, still holding onto the plate.

Blazing red eyes watched her retreat into the safety of a large crowd that was clustered close to the register. "Such horrendous manners."

. ~: . V . :~ .**_  
_**

Kanato was not use to this feeling. As he walked the streets he could see the many people glancing at him. His childish looks and aura naturally drew their attention but their eyes meant nothing to him. He was too occupied with the other feelings that nagged at the back of his mind. The best he could describe it was the feeling of being '_hunted_'.

How odd. Sure humans watched him and approached him but never before had he felt like he was the prey. It sent an uncomfortable feeling through his chest and he found himself ducking down a nearby alleyway. If the cattle was stupid enough to continue following him then he would simply kill it. Death would solve the problem quickly.

The clomp of heels echoed through the dark alleyway and Kanato could feel a smile tugging on his lips. Seems like this human has very little self preservation skills, if she had any at all. With wide purple eyes, Kanato turned his teary glance to the human approaching him from behind.

Whatever she was expecting it must not have been the young child with tears flowing from his eyes. Kanato's arms moved to wrap around himself and it completed the lost but innocent look. Fake tears dripped to the floor and the woman was suddenly kneeling before him with a concerned look.

"Are you hurt?" She asked.

"I . . . I think I'm lost," Kanato lied with a quivering lip.

A soft, gentle hand traced itself over his forehead, moving his bangs out of his face and Kanato got his first, full image of the girl hunting him. She was just like one of his dolls. She had pale cream skin that was marked and littered with bright silver scars. Her black hair tumbled down the center of his back and she had layered bangs on the right side of her face. It was her jewel blue eyes that held Kanato's attention. They were unusually pretty and he had to resist the urge to just reach forward and plucked them from her skull.

"Do you have family looking for you?"

"My brothers won't look for me," at least this wasn't a lie. The Sakamaki brothers knew that Kanato was hunting tonight so nobody had bothered to chase after him. "I'm scared."

Kanato was not the top hunter that his brothers are. He did not have Subaru's strength, Shu's patience, Ayato's cunning nature, Reiji's dominance or Laito's sexual appeal. Instead he was gifted with younger looks, which made him '_cute_' and approachable. A quivering lip, some childish words and maybe a few false tears and women fell over themselves in an effort to comfort him. The humans trusted him and rarely saw him as the monster he truly was and this one woman was no exception. A maternal instincts could be seen in her gentle touches as she subtly checked for injuries.

Kanato gripped her free hand and brought it up to his cheek, pretending that he was seeking comfort. She let him hold her hand and continued to prattling off question like an annoying chickadee bird, unaware of the boy now nuzzling her open palm.

Her scent was delicious. It smelled sweeter than any dessert and was pumping madly through her body. There was a tang hidden within, one that enticed him by its painful twinge just like the sharp flavor of a hidden lemon. With a prideful smirk, he plunged his fangs in deeply and latched on.

Her blood burst forward like an untrained puppy, falling eagerly into his open mouth. It was _so exquisite_! No words could describe the ecstasy he felt as her taste exploded in his throat and mouth. She was struggling now, he could feel it but his strength was stronger. He clenched his jaw, sending his fangs in deeper and a dark growl escaped him. He was not ready to relinquish his treat yet.

What happened next, Kanato found it difficult to describe or even explain. In the middle of a flow, her blood changed. It started to warm up rapidly and within seconds it became boiling hot. Kanato ripped his mouth away, his lips and tongue blistering from the intense heat. A vicious hiss escaped him as he backed away from the fiery meal.

The woman was clutching her injured hand to her chest, her crimson blood staining her pristine white shirt. Pained tears tinkled from her wide eyes but curiously, there was no fear in them. There was only betrayal and anger.

"How many of you guys are around?" She snapped out.

Kanato gave a giggle and reached his own hand up to swipe at the blood that gathering on his chin. He made a display of showing off his fangs as he licked his hand lesiurasly, gathering the last of the greatest blood he had ever tasted.

"Ne, how about we play a game?" He asked instead.

"Go to Hell." She snap like an angry alley cat. An electric energy was starting to fill the area, biting at Kanato's skin in warning.

"Eventually," the small boy shrugged his shoulder. "Let's play hide and seek! I'll count and you hide."

"You sick child!"

"One . . . two," Kanato moved into a crouch as he started to count.

She was racing away before he even reached four. Kanato was fair, in his mind, and gave her to the count of five before he started to track her. The woman must not have been a stranger to be hunted though because her scent immediately mingled with that of a large crowd. The pollution in the air mixed with the different humans masked her own scent and effectively made her disappear.

"She's good at this game," Kanato mused as he continued to stroll down the street.

That was okay, hide and seek was no fun if it was easy. He would find her sooner or later.

. ~: . V . :~ .**_  
_**

It was a weird way of bonding for them. Yui had always tried to get the two brothers to accept each other despite their different views and rivalries. Her efforts had actually improved their relationship quite a bit before her untimely death. Even now, after her body was cold and rotting in the ground, the brothers had gotten in the habit of trying to keep their relationship friendly.

That was why Ayato and Laito were standing in the middle of a night club, their eyes roving over the many dancing bodies in an effort to spot their next prey. One girl would keep them both company for the night and afterwards, they would share her blood. It was an odd bonding routine, even for vampires, but it required trust to share a kill with each other and if they could feed together, then it proved the brothers were getting along.

They split up, stalking through the crowd much like a pride of lions would circle a small herd. Within minutes they had spotted their target. Dozens of sweating bodies were pressed against one another, mimicking movements that would have been frowned upon just a few decades ago but yet with only one glance exchanged between two pairs of cat green eyes, their meal was chosen. A single woman was targeted amongst the dozen of sweaty, grinding bodies.

Of course the first thing Ayato noticed was her large breasts. They would be a handful, possibly even more. Laito was more focused on the grinding she was doing to the small man behind her. Her movements were flowing, each one more perfect than the one before. With effortless movements the brothers were able to maneuver themselves into position. Ayato took her front, blocking her sight of anything but him and his brother while Laito gripped her hips and moved her gently, sandwiching the girl between them.

It was child's play to get her aroused. Some meaningless sweet words, a few well placed kisses and insistent touches along her sensitive skin caused her to cave to them. Within minutes they had her outside, cloaked in the shadows of the alleyway and away from any stray ears.

Her cries went unheard as her flesh ripped beneath their sharp fangs. Their kill was messy as they purposely drew out her pain. The only ones to receive pleasure that night were the vampires themselves. As her flow of blood became weaker, she stopped struggling and gave into death. Glimmering brown eyes stared up at the crescent moon, never to see another sunrise.

Ayato and Laito were still basking in their blood high when someone intruded on their temporary territory. Reflective green eyes glared at the human woman who stood bravely before them. Her black hair was wind tousled and blue eyes scanned the scene with horror. Laito's eyes hungrily traced her curves and Ayato was focused on her breasts. While not large like their most recent kill's, they were modern size and they fit her figure perfectly. Another look was exchanged between the brothers before they decided that they could use another _snack_.

Before either of them could pounce, a bright pink light flashed and blinded them. Sharp needle-like pain stabbed at their chests and throat, forcing them to blindly retreat away from the strange attack. Both brothers had an arm in front of their eyes in an effort to see but it was all in vain.

Once they had backed up a few feet, the light died down. The vampires hissed as their vision painfully returned to them. The strange woman was now crouched by their dead prey and she had somehow already started a phone call. Her melodic voice was speaking to the local police force while her unusual blue eyes watched the vampires before her.

She snapped the phone closed just as Ayato took a step closer to her. "I've called the cops. If I was you, I would leave before they arrive."

"Or they could arrive and find _two_ bodies." Ayato took another step closer.

"I would keep your distance," the woman bravely growled back. "You may not be yokai but I can still purify you."

Ayato narrowed his eyes at the reminder of the sharp pain he had experience. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. It was an intense amount of agony that left no trace of injury on his clothes or body. The fighting term of 'purifying' did not ring any bells for him and Ayato was not sure how to destroy something he did not know about.

Laito hid his own concern behind his charming smile and he strolled fearlessly towards the woman. Her hand tightened into a fist and the vampires could see the pink glow starting once more along her fingertips. Wisely, Laito stopped out of her reach and kneeled down in front of her.

"Can I at least have my hat back?"

Laito nodded towards his fallen fedora. The accessory must have fallen off during their rough feeding from earlier but yet Laito couldn't remember for the life of him if the hat had fallen when he had repositioned his fangs to plunge deeper or when the woman was struggling and striking out at anything near her in an effort to extend her short life. Either way, it now rested on the ground by the mystical woman.

Without another word she reached out to grab his hat and toss it towards one of the nearly identical vampires. Laito caught it without moving his eyes off of her face. With another charming smile, he pressed the hat back to his head and in the next second, both vampires were gone.

Laito and Ayato stood side by side on a nearby roof as they watched the scene unfold below them. The police had arrived within minutes, declaring their prey dead on scene and then proceeded to get the other woman's story. She gave her name and then lied, telling the officer that she had heard a mysterious sound and had gone to investigate. When she arrived on scene, the girl was dead and there was nobody around.

Laito grinned and brought the hat to his nose to take a strong whiff. _Kagome Higurashi_. A curious woman she truly was. She somehow found them, threatened to kill them, was kind enough to return his hat and even lied to the cops about what truly happened. She must have had some twisted morals to try and protect the beasts that had murdered one of her own kind.

Ayato leaned forward to take his own sniff at whatever his brother was so fascinated with. The small area were Kagome's fingers had gripped the hat reeked of purity and innocence. Ayato's pupils were blown wide in delight and his own fanged smirk appeared.

Upon seeing the pleasured look on his brother's face, Laito simply purred out one word. "Dibs."

. ~: . V . :~ .**_  
_**

It was on the night of the full moon that all their fates converged. None of them could get her scent, attitude or voice out of their minds. She was their new addition, a drug that hypnotized and controlled them. The full moon merely intensified these emotions, driving the vampires crazy at the mere thought of her. On top of a hill, one small shrine was soon surrounded with only the moon and stars to witness it.

Subaru was the first to make himself known. With the appearance of a ghost and just as quiet as one, the youngest Sakamaki brother appeared below her window. It had been several weeks since he had gifted her the dagger and despite the horrible dreams she was plagued with and the bright glow dying from her eyes, she still had not used it. It just rested on her nightstand, collecting dust.

Humans were pathetic, noisy creatures but this one was somehow different. Subaru didn't know how or why she was different but he knew she was. He moved quickly through the inside of the house. To an outsider it would look he had merely teleported himself inside but the truth was, he was unable to teleport without knowing the layout of the house. It was not pleasant being stuck inside a wall because of a small miscalculation.

His little human was asleep, as was expected. She was snuggled close to a fluffy pillow, her pink blanket swallowing her tiny form. Quiet whimpers were starting to escape her now as whatever peaceful dreams she was having were becoming corrupted. He would have to take her soon before she started screaming and summoning her family.

It was only when Subaru was reaching for his prize when he remembered an important detail. Where was her mutt? Surely he should have at least growled at an intruder.

"I hope you're not planning on taking my mortal."

Subaru turned in surprise to see Shu reclining against the wall at the foot of the woman's bed. His eyes were closed and his chin was resting in the palm of his left hand. Draped across his lap was the large mongrel, fast asleep as Shu's free hand stroked its fur.

"But I was playing with her first," a soft voice protested. Kanato made his own appearance, his smaller figure standing in front of the door and blocking one of the escape routes. "She belongs to me. She has my bite on her palm." His small tongue swiped around a fang as if to try and bring back her flavor.

"Eh? Kanato has already tasted her?" Two nearly identical redheads were suddenly crouched on the rim of her open window. Laito reached up and pulled the rim of his hat down as his lips twisted into a false pout. "But I had called dibs."

"Gathering in a woman's room without her permission is rude." The drone voice scolded them all.

Ayato scoffed and threw his hands into the air, his balance wavering slightly as his feet shifted to keep his weight even. "And of course there's Reiji!"

"Do any of you even know this woman's name?" Reiji asked from the center of the room where he now stood. He didn't bother to ask why everyone was gathered at such a strange place. It was a waste of time to ask stupid questions, especially when the answer was obvious and she was currently slumbering on her bed, unaware of the pack of predators surrounding her.

"Kagome Higurashi." Laito purred out her name. At the Reiji's questioning glance, both Ayato and Laito shrugged. "That's the name she gave to the police," Ayato explained.

Reiji's lips tightened and he gave Ayato a cold glare. "And why did she have to file a police report?"

"She interrupted our hunt. She did some fancy light show to get us away and then called the police. She didn't tell them about us though."

"How fascinating," Kanato mused. "Her blood changed while I was drinking it. It became boiling hot and burnt my whole mouth. Do you think she is really a human?"

"I doubt it," Shu murmured sleepily. "I've also felt a ghost pain when I first started to hunt her."

"She knows that we are vampires?" Reiji tried to keep his brothers focused on the more important questions while attempting to sort the tangled situation that his family found themselves in.

"I don't think so." Kanato turned innocent eyes towards the bespectacled eldest. "She asked me how many of my kind was around. I think she was tracking me even before I bite her too."

"Ah, she's just full of surprises isn't she?" Laito stepped into the room, leaving his brother behind on the windowsill. "She threatened to 'purify' both of us."

"We'll just have to take her then," Reiji sighed deeply. "We can not let a mortal know about our kind and she must be suspicious if she intruded on Ayato and Laito's hunt. We must also find out more about whatever she knows and how she managed to injure us with this light."

"I'll carry her!" Kanato and Ayato exclaimed at the same time but it was Laito was daringly moved forward to pick her up.

A familiar silver dagger no longer rested on the nearby nightstand as it was suddenly in Subaru's hand. The sharp blade kissed Laito's bare neck, stopping just short of cutting skin and forcing Laito to pause or risk getting injured. "Shut up," Subaru growled out. "You will wake her."

"Getting protective of what is not yours?" Shu taunted.

Reiji reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. He could already see the trouble this woman was going to cause him. Her sweet scent and pure nature appealed to the predator instead all of them, making them want to claim and corrupt her. Even Reiji could feel the need to stake his own claim on the woman and steal her from his siblings. Vampires were dominate, possessive beings who were not afraid to kill over a simple argument. It was tough enough keeping his family from murdering each other but it looked like this woman could be yet another things for them to fight over.

A broken cry broke the tense atmosphere that was building around the Sakamaki vampires. Kagome rolled over in her sleep and her sounds of distress were starting to get louder and more desperate. The canine that was once resting peacefully awoke from whatever trance Shu had put on him and he was now growling at the men surrounding his mistress, adding more noise to the typically quiet room.

"We better leave soon." Subaru tensely replied. "Once her nightmares start, her brother usually comes to comfort her."

"Would it not be simpler to just kill her?" Kanato asked.

"But I had dibs!"

"You will not be killing my mortal. That right resides with me."

"Ore-sama has decided she will be my new pet."

The shuffle of a bed sheet from a nearby room stopped all conversation. Six pairs of eyes turned towards the closed door as the advanced predators sensed the incoming intruder. The heart of the creature was small and his scent was distinctively masculine so they knew this was the little brother Subaru spoke about.

They moved quickly. Subaru was the fastest and he scooped up Kagome and her blanket without disturbing her rest. The triplets, upon seeing that they would not get to hold Kagome, were gone faster than a human could blink with Reiji not far behind them. Subaru and Shu's travels were slightly slower due to the cargo they carried but they too were still gone before Souta could even opened his sister's door.

Subaru walked briskly, the night air whipping against him and forcing him to cradle Kagome closer in an effort to keep her warm. He freed a pale hand so he could tuck the blanket tighter around her, keeping her safe from the cold. She was thankfully still asleep, oblivious to the travels she was currently undergoing against her will. Besides him, Shu kept to his pace.

"You're seriously bringing that _thing_ with?" Subaru rudely snapped.

Shu didn't reply but his grip tightened slightly, causing the large dog he carried to whine and lean up to lick his face. It was a comical sight since the dog was nearly the size of Shu himself. Subaru had no warm feelings towards any creature but he found he had little tolerance for yapping, annoying dogs. Thankfully it seemed like this mongrel was well trained since he kept quiet for the trip.

As the eldest and the youngest brothers saw their house in the distance, Shu finally saw fit to answer Subaru. "A dog is a pack creature. It will always obey the strongest alpha and when I'm not around," Subaru growled at Shu's possessive tone but it was ignored, "she will need a guardian to keep the rest of you away."

* * *

Honestly I'm not even sure where this idea came from but I'm willing to give it a try. I've always been intrigued by the concept of Light and Dark, Yin and Yang, Evil and Purity and Kagome (being a miko) and the Sakamaki siblings are a perfect example of two opposite forces. Not to mention that the Sakamaki brothers give me a wide range of different personalities to play with and practice my writing.

Reviews will be very important to this story. Your opinions and thoughts will always be considered heavily. How much 'screentime' each brother has depends on you along with who's point of view this story will (mostly) take place in.

Now onto more boring/technical stuff. For future reference, I have never played the game however I have seen the anime and I do a ton of research on the wiki/internet. Hopefully I don't mess up too badly but if I ever get the information wrong, feel free to let me know. I'm always open to learning more.

Characters have to be a (little bit) OOC for this to work. I'm trying my best to get everyone to stay in character but there has to be a little bit of bending on all parts for this to work. However, again, should I take it too far, feel free to let me know.

Always leave behind a review! The good, the bad and the ugly are always welcomed. Reviews help to fuel an author and give her faith in her writing (which more faster/more chapters for you!). It only takes a moment and it makes my whole day to hear from you.

_-Nightshade_


	2. Chapter Two

**_Chapter Two_**

_Immortality was something that many humans strived for. They fought for it. They killed for it and yet no mortal had ever achieved what they strived for. They should be thankful for Fate's small favor. Mortals were not meant for such a curse. I was not meant for such a curse but I was always Fate's favorite toy. She loved to screw with my life. I didn't matter in the long run as long as Fate's goals were met. I just wish . . . I wish Fate and Immortality hadn't robbed me of so much.  
_

**_-Kagome Higurashi_**

* * *

Shu and Subaru entered their house to be greeted by four pairs of ravenous eyes. Their brothers were each purposely positioned around the entrance hall in a way that made it impossible for Subaru, and by extension the woman he carried, to pass by. The youngest son paused, his own red eyes flickering back and forth, unsure how to proceed now.

"You can put her in Yui's old room." Kanato said quietly.

"I don't see why not," Laito hummed. "Little Bitch is no longer using it and it's already prepared."

Reiji raised a single eyebrow and his arms crossed themselves in front of his chest. "If I recall properly, Ayato broke that room's lock."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," Ayato huffed loudly in his own defense.

Subaru's grip tightened on the fragile, strange woman as he thought of putting her in Yui's old room. It seemed wrong. Kagome was not a replacement for Yui. Sure, they had both caught the brothers' attentions because of their sweet blood but the two woman were different. Where Yui was soft and submissive, Kagome was slowly proving to be a fighter. Several of his brothers had already claimed that she had somehow hurt them, even if the attack had been small, and Reji had a belief that she was not human. Which lead Subaru to the question that had been bugging him since Reiji had decided to take her.

What was she? And what kind of fight would she put up in the morning?

"I still don't see a problem with putting her in Little Bitch's old room."

To everyone's shock, it was Shu who decided to speak up. He was lingering in the open doorway with his arms still wrapped around the large dog but he was already slumped back so his shoulder and part of his back rested on the doorframe. "Do you truly want to put her where your brothers will also have easy access to her?"

The question was not directed at anyone in particular but rather at the whole family and its desired effects could be seen immediately. Everyone's eyes narrowed and glares were exchanged as territorial instincts suddenly raged. A corner of Shu's lips quirked up at his brothers' predictable reactions.

"The room was old and dusty anyways," Kanato murmured to himself.

"She can stay in my room instead," Laito immediately offered.

"Like hell," Ayato snapped at the other redhead.

Tension was slowly growing thicker as the three triplets glared at one another.

"That won't be necessary." Reiji smoothly cut in before the brothers decided that the way to solve their problems would be through violence. They were still in the entrance hall, a place where guest gathered and the first area that any visitor saw when they crossed the threshold. They were not going to cause destruction here if Reiji could help it. "We have plenty of spare bedrooms. She can stay there."

"What happens when she awakens?" Ayato loudly exclaimed. "She'll try to escape."

"She won't make it very far," Kanato stated quietly.

It was true. There was no way for her to out run the six vampires around her. Even if she managed to get away from their house, they would just track her down like the predators they were and drag her back. Then, they would have to deal with her _punishment_. Just the thought of the hunt sent shivers of delight down some of their backs.

"Let her try to run." There was nothing Laito loved more than the thought of a chase. It was always fun when Yui tried to run because she could never got far and the thrill of the attempted escape always made her blood run hotter.

Only Reiji saw Subaru and Shu make their stealthily escape. While the triplets were busy arguing with each other, Subaru swiftly went around them with Shu trailing behind him. With the speed that only a vampire could posses, both the eldest and the youngest disappeared up the stairs and entered the tangled, dark hallways of their home.

Reiji frowned at the still open door. It seemed to be too much effort for the Shu to even close a door. Lazy, pathetic man. After making sure the door was firmly closed, Reiji could see no use in continuing to hang around his family and swiftly teleported himself into his own private lab. The familiar scent of plants, dust and paper greeted him in an intoxicating mist. Stiffly, Reiji stalked towards one of the many shelves near the back of the room.

He knew he had knowledge of the name Kagome Higurashi but he couldn't remember where or when he had read her name. Reiji didn't like being oblivious, especially when he knew he had the information here, somewhere hidden in this very room. His gloved fingers trailed along the spine of several books as he debated where to start his search.

He was determined to break this woman open and discovered her secrets even if that meant destroying her in the process.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Subaru paused at the junction of the hallway. To his left, was where the guest rooms were located. To the right, was where his own room and his brothers' were held. It would be so simple. All he would have to do is turn right and take the woman into his room. There, he could watch her and monitor her actions. In his room, he would be able to defend her against his brothers, fighting properly for what he was already considering _his_.

In his room, she would be unable to escape him.

"Don't even think about it," the low, drone voice of Shu sounded from behind him.

Subaru's teeth gritted together as he glared at the eldest brother behind him. He hated being told what to do and it was even more frustrating when he was being told what to do by Shu. Shu, who was the lazy brother and didn't often care what was going on in the house, was choosing now to be the head of the family. All because of a small slip of a woman.

He really wanted to destroy something but he couldn't move without waking up Kagome.

"Just put her in her room. I want to sleep." Shu murmured from behind the youngest.

"Shut up and get lost," Subaru snapped back and he violently stomped down the left corridor.

It only took a few seconds to pick a room. The door had no distinguishing marks and it was alone, surrounded by more empty rooms that had never held a mortal before. The only thing to mark this room different from any of the others was that this one was now occupied.

It was extremely bare. There was a single bed with a clean, crisp white sheet and a thick grey blanket. The pillows were flat and there was no pillow cases on them. The wooden floor was bare, just like the rest of the room. It was small, nearly a quarter of the size of the brothers' rooms. Even the servant's quarters were more equipped than this room but for now, it would have to do. It's not like they kept guests around for very long so they had never had a need to furnish so many rooms before.

Subaru shifted the girl so he could free a hand and pull a corner of the blanket down. The cloth was stiff with age and it even crackled several times as it was pulled back. Subaru gentle extracted Kagome from her silk cocoon and laid the softer blanket at the foot of the bed. He then laid the woman down and covered her once more with the aged blanket.

Kagome had started to whimper again and she instinctively gripped one of the plain pillows to her chest in comfort. Her once calm face was now distorted with a frown and beautiful sounds of distress were escaping from her. Soon, she would start screaming as her nightmares became more and more real.

It would be even worse when she left the nightmare's grips and woke up to an even darker reality.

"Just like his brother." Shu had already deposited the large dog on top of the silk blanket that rested at the foot of the tiny bed and had reached forward to snag one of Kagome's hands. His long fingers easily wrapped around her frail wrist and beneath his thumb he could feel her delicious blood rushing around in reaction to her growing, sleepy fear. "So possessive."

Their advance eyesight easily caught sight of the bite marks that marred her palm. Like most vampire bites, the wounds were struggling to close without the addition of their saliva. The puncture marks had healed over but they were still slightly swollen and the surrounding area was bruised a light purple from the roughness of the bite.

It was a sloppy bite, almost possessive in nature. The marks were small and the trajectory of the bite was angled slightly towards each other, a sign of a young vampire. Younger vampires' fangs were designed to latch onto their victim and make it difficult to escape. As time past, their fangs would slowly straighten out as the vampire became older and therefore strong enough to hold their own prey down. This was defiantly Kanato's mark on her palm.

Unknown to each other, the eldest and the youngest were thinking along the same lines. They were both imagining the next morning when their new bride would awaken. Kanato's bite had been messy and done in the heat of the hunt when Kanato had thought he would be able to kill the woman afterwards.

She didn't know yet what a pleasurable hell a true vampire's bite could give.

. ~: . V . :~ .

The human mind was a tricky thing. Immortality was never meant for humans because the brain itself could not handle so many memories. It was only capable of having a limited amount of information and as time traveled by, memories had to be cannibalized and destroyed to make room for even more memories.

It was impossible to remember everything, especially if you lived a few hundred years. Certain memories would stick out. Some faces may be remembered but simple things like their habits, the sound of their voices and even the smaller details about them would soon blur in the harsh grip of time.

Kagome was told stories of her journeys and there were even a few stories written down from people she was told used to be her friends but after time, they soon became no more than words on a page. Sometimes, a sentence or a page would strike a memory but it was like watching a movie through the deep, dark waters of an ocean. Everything was distorted and sometimes the events would blur together and not make any sense.

Kagome's dreams were filled with memories. Kagome's nightmares were composed of the personal hell she had gone through and sometimes, she wasn't able to tell the difference between the two.

Was it daytime? Midnight? Was she surrounded by mist or suspended in the black expansion of the night sky? She didn't know. All she could see was darkness. Inky black mist twirled around her legs like a feline begging for attention and in the very distance, she would hear voices calling her name.

Her heart gave a sharp twist as she tried desperately to hear the words the unseen people were speaking. Her legs moved without thought, taking her deeper and deeper into the expansion of her dream and yet, no matter how far she traveled, the voices never got any closer.

Violet eyes, resting just above a charming smile taunted her. It was just out of her reach, bouncing along like the famous Cheshire grin. Kagome lunged forward in one final attempt to touch the somehow familiar eyes. There was a flash of black and purple along with the faint outline of a body and then nothing. Kagome found herself landing in a large pile of dust.

Who was that? Why could she feel warm tears tinkling from her eyes? Why did she care?

The soft cry of a baby drew her attention next. With a choked whimper, Kagome tried to push herself out of the large pile of dust that was growing larger and larger around her. She didn't know why but she knew she had to get to the baby. So why couldn't she escape?

Every time she pushed a little bit out of the way, more dust fell upon her. It was like a dry ocean, building up and growing larger by the second. There was dust and sand as far as her eyes could see and she couldn't swim. Her legs weren't capable of kicking themselves and her arms flailed miserably in a weak attempt to haul herself up. She tried to cry for help but the dust just took the opportunity to leap into her mouth.

Down, down, down it tumbled. It filled her lungs, her stomach and clog her throat. Tears burned down her face as she felt herself slowly dying. It hurt. It hurt. _It hurt._

And that damn baby had yet to stop crying. It's helpless wails taunted her ears and she continued her struggles just for the baby. She had to get to it. She had to comfort it so it no longer howled so loudly but she couldn't escape. The dirt was building up and there was now something solid brushing against her hands and bare feet. Was that a bone? Why were there bones in the dust? Why was there blood raining from the sky? Was she dying?

Why couldn't she wake up?

. ~: . V . :~ .

The cold press of a familiar nose is what shocked Kagome out of her frightening dream. With a broken cry, she flung her arms around the large fuzzy head that was pressed to her chest and she buried her face into the nearby fur. Her tears went unseen as she choked on the sobs that were locked in her throat and refused to be heard.

Why did she wake up alone? Where was Souta? Her brother had not let her wake up alone from a nightmare since she had found her family again.

"Mamoru, it was so awful," Kagome whispered into the hybrid's fur.

The red furred canine quietly whined and ran his wet, slobbery tongue over her cheek. The show of affection brought a watery grin to the young miko's face and she giggled as she pushed her protector away. The large dog rolled with her push and ended up on his back with his belly shamelessly exposed to her scratching fingers.

It was then that Kagome realized she was not home.

The room she was in was tiny. Its wall were bare and beneath her was a firm bed that was very different from her comfy mattress back at home. Even the blanket that laid on top of her, stiff as a board, was vastly different from her silk, pink blanket that was now at the foot of the bed, underneath Mamoru.

"Where are we?"

At her softly spoken words, Mamoru rolled back onto his belly and looked around. His short round ears perked up and a soft growl rumbled in his throat. Kagome didn't like this. She wasn't home, therefore she wasn't safe. This wasn't the first time she had woken up in a strange place but someone she knew was always close by. Here, she could not sense or see anyone familiar.

"Come on, Mamoru." Kagome swung her legs over the side of the bed and got to her feet. "Let's get out of here."

Padding silently across the room, Kagome emerged from her dull sleeping quarters. Out of habit, her eyes scanned the hallway, trying to remember everything. It looked the same in either direction. Wooden paneling covered the walls and the carpet beneath her feet was clean with no marks or stains. There was no windows anywhere close to the young miko and without a hint of guidance, she was unsure where to go to leave this strange place she had found herself in.

It was Mamoru who lead the way. With the careful strides of a hunter, the hybrid confidently lead the way down the hallway and Kagome, seeing no other choice, followed behind him. Kagome could only assume that he was following an old scent trail and that was how he knew where to go. Mamoru was smarter than a typical canine due to his bloodlines so the miko trusted her companion to lead her out.

After a few minutes, Kagome came to the conclusion that she was in a maze and not a home.

There were _so_ many twists and turns. Each passageway looked identical to the one before it. Endless amount of doors, some of them marred in some kind of fashion and even a few with a heavy padlock in place of a doorknob.

Were those bloody scratch marks?

Kagome felt a cold bolt of fear race down her spine at the sight. Just where the hell was she? Why was she brought here? Fruitlessly she patted her thigh. Normally, Kagome was so paranoid that she always kept some kind of weapon on her hip but of course Kagome had been _sleeping_ when she was taken. All she had on her was a thin nightgown that would never be considered modest, so she was unarmed and vulnerable.

With a final huff, Mamoru turned a corner and the dim sunlight assaulted her eyes. Kagome blinked rapidly in surprise as her eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden light. After a few seconds, each one seeming longer than the last to her rapidly beating heart, Kagome's eyes finally adapted and let her see the world around her.

She found herself in an open room. To her left was a small alcove with a large glass window that was letting the sunlight in. Along the walls to the right, were two red leather couches. Directly in front of her, was another hallway that lead into dark shadows.

Mamoru had his long snout to the floor and he busied himself with walking around in circles. His loud growls and upset huffs showed that Mamoru didn't like whatever he was smelling but he didn't lead Kagome into the other hallway either. It was like her loyal companion was debating with himself over what to do next.

Kagome caught sight of what rested on one of the couches and out of curiosity, she found herself moving closer. It was an adorable but damaged teddy bear. Its body was bulbous when compared to its thin, smaller arms. Its belly was a pale beige color and it was wearing a pink and black vest. Resting next to it was its head, which was also bulbous and had a pirate-like eye patch over its left eye.

Its brown fur was smudged with dirt and black, amateur stitching could be seen holding certain sections of the bear together. The teddy bear was obviously well loved by someone and a weak attempt was being made at reuniting its head once more to its body.

Maybe a child lived in this large manor?

Kagome's thin fingers had just brushed the fur of the bear when the air had suddenly shifted around her. It became heavy and thick, like the water laced mist that would cover the mountains. At the same time, something dark nipped at the edge of her aura and a shiver traveled down her spine.

Pain exploded along her arm as five sharp nails dug deep into the soft underside of her wrist.

"Do not, _touch him_," a sharp voice hissed at her.

Kagome had a few seconds to catch a glimpse of purple hair before she found herself being flung to the floor. A small yelp escaped her when her breath was harshly knocked out of her lungs as she collided with the carpet. Mamoru was instantly by her side, his scruffy muzzle nosing her side in an effort to help her back to her feet.

Her wrist felt strange. His hands had burned like a fire and yet his grip had been icy on her skin. The energy left behind from his touch zapped along her skin, coiling around her own aura like a serpent who was repeatedly striking her. It filled Kagome with dread and she could feel the jewel stirring inside her in response to her fear.

Kagome pushed herself onto her hands and knees so she could get a clearer view of her attacker. At first glance he looked like a young child. He was rather short for a boy, standing just a little bit taller than Kagome, and he had a thin figure. Light purple hair framed his face and it matched his unusual orchid eyes that had dark colored bags beneath.

Three things immediately set Kagome on edge. One was the dark aura that coiled and withered against the boy. Kagome could see the dark energy around him and she could feel the ghosty blood dipping from his aura. It told her so much about him. He was a predator and despite his harmless appearance, he was a ruthless killer.

The second thing was his unusual fangs. Due to his fury, his teeth were bared to the world and in the sunlight, it was hard to miss those deadly canines. They were perfectly white and came to a fine, delicate point. Normal mortals didn't have fangs but he didn't have the aura of a yokai or hanyou to Kagome.

The third and final thing was simple. _Kagome knew him_. She remembered him from the alleyway. He was the boy who had cried crocodile tears and then chose to _bite_ her palm. She still had his marks on her skin and the last thing he had wanted from her was to play a sinister game of hide and seek.

"Stay away from me," Kagome hissed back.

The young miko could feel the jewel growing more aware as her own fear grew. Its energy raced underneath her skin like a static shock and the very tip of her fingers started to grow a dim pink. The other male's eyes were instantly drawn the show of power and his nostrils flared as he scented the air. His large eyes trailed down to her wrist, which was still bleeding slightly from when he had roughly grabbed her.

"I've found you." The predator took another step forward and Mamoru took a defensive position in hand of Kagome. "I should get my prize now."

Kagome lurched onto her feet and scramble backwards just as the boy lunged forward. His hand was stretched out in another attempt at grabbing her but Kagome managed to get up just in time to avoid his clawed grip. The air exploded with sound as the boy hissed out his displeasure and Mamoru chose that moment to tackle the threat to his mistress with a loud growl. The canine must have surprised him since Mamoru managed to tackle him to the ground even though her attacker had shown to posses supernatural strength.

Kagome didn't waste any time. This was a predator, one who had already attacked her before and she was aware of the other darker auras that were slowly waking up in other parts of the house. She had to get free or at least find a weapon before the others found her. She pivoted on her heels and _ran_. It would be stupid to try and fight him when he had already proven to be a powerful opponent and it was even stupider to stay in one place.

Without her guide though, she was just like a mouse in a maze. She desperately turned down several corridors but nothing looked different. It was all the same to her and it didn't appear like she was making any progress at all. Even worse, the dark auras were slowly closing in.

Kagome had just turned another corner when she barreled into a wall. A breathing, cold wall that seemed upset with her collision. Kagome was able to glimpse pale skin and a furious red eye before she felt his aura. The dark, sickly touch of his aura and the glimpse of fangs from his slightly opened mouth was enough to put Kagome on the defense.

She thrust her hand forward until her palm rested fully on his chest and the familiar tingle of her powers raced down her arm and out her palm. Kagome experience a moment of doubt as she wondered how much damage the jewel would be capable of giving to one of their kind but her fears were quickly squashed when the man gave out a loud hissed and leaped away from her touch. He was now out of her reach and out of the way of the path she had been taking.

Kagome continued her escape while she had the chance. The familiar smell of burnt skin didn't even bother her and she didn't care who she had just injured. If the Shikon no Tama had affected him, then he was not human and he must have had a part in her kidnapping.

There was a burst of light and then Kagome found herself standing next to a small balcony. Two sets of stairs branch off on each side of the room, wrapping around the walls and then merging into one path before coming straight down, running below the balcony. If this house was as old as Kagome thought it was, that means the stairs were leading to the entrance doors, which were right below her and to the left.

With the agility she had earned and master from the feudal era, Kagome braced one hand against the banister in front of her and flung her body over the edge. The one story drop was easy for her. Kagome had plenty of time to land quietly on the balls of her feet so no harm was inflicted on her.

"Are you trying to seduce me?" A new voice murmured from the shadows by Kagome's side. "You didn't need to wear such an outfit if so."

Kagome let out a squeal as a tongue ran itself up the side of her neck and two arms wrapped around her waist. His hold was strongly intimate and despite Kagome struggling to get free, he just pulled her further back into his chest with ease. It was only when Kagome could feel the slight touch of his teeth scrapping against her throat that the Shikon no Tama decided to help her out. Kagome could feel the jewel's influence as its energy pooled in her neck and sent out multiple strings towards her attacker's mouth.

Her new attacker flung her away unexpectedly. Kagome was once more thrown to the floor, her sound of distress echoed by her attacker's angry snarl. Quickly, Kagome rolled over so she was resting on her butt, with one arm braced behind her and the other glowing palm held defensively in front of her. She wanted to keep her attacker, this unknown predator, in her sights as long as possible.

This new man was running his middle finger over his lips with a strange gleam shining bright in his emerald green eyes. So many expressions were crossing his face. Lust, hunger, angry, fascination and even humor crossed his features rapidly before he decided to settle on a dark smirk. He lowered his head so his shoulder-length red hair could frame the edges of his face and the brim of his fedora attempted to cover the rest of his face though his eyes still shined brightly from the shadows of the hat. Kagome had met this man before too.

"That wasn't very nice of you." There was a clear threat in that tone.

The jewel gave out several strong pulses in time to Kagome's beating heart, similar to the night that she had interrupted their hunt. She felt a sense of deja-vu as she watched the other creature throw one of his arms in front of his eyes in defense and he took several step backs to avoid the purification energy. It was almost the same scene as before, except back then, there had been two of them.

Kagome knew she had a short amount of time. The Shikon no Tama always defended its host, lending its energy when needed but it was not without a price. The jewel itself only had a small reserve of energy to use before it latched on Kagome's aura and fed from her to fuel its attack. Kagome had never been properly taught how to control the Shikon no Tama and the energy it was capable of, so the young miko never did last very long before its toll was too much for her unexperienced body.

So with panicked movements, Kagome got back to her feet and headed for the large double doors she had glimpsed before. In that direction lead her way out and she tried to turn the handle but it refused to budge. An angry shriek escaped her lips as she fruitlessly pounded on the door. Why wouldn't it open? She was so close to freedom. _So close. _If only she could get the damn door open.

A sudden weight crashed down upon Kagome's shoulders. Physically, there was nothing there but her knees still buckled and she found herself kneeling before the doors, her sweaty palms still gripping the handle. This was her warning right before the jewel's energy gave out. The bright glow that was keeping the red-haired creature back would soon disappear and she would be left on her own, unarmed and defenseless unless she chose to let the Shikon no Tama feed off of her.

Kagome was given a second to be defenseless. Just a mere second when the jewel would depletes it own energy and latch onto Kagome's own aura. Not many creatures would be able to get close to her in just a second to harm her so the time in between was so brief that Kagome usually didn't worry about it.

A second was all the time _they_ needed though.

The instant the jewel's influence flickered, Kagome could feel the press of the other dark auras surrounding her. In that same second, she had her thin, vulnerable throat wrapped in a strong grip and she was turned around so her back was pressed against the door. She was easily lifted off the ground, with only her tip of her toes kept on the floor, by a strong inhumane grip. Five sharp fingernails tapped her soft skin in warning.

"Try that again and Yours Truly will destroy you."

Kagome briefly struggled against the unyielding grip on her throat but his fingernails just pressed harder against her skin. If anymore pressure was applied, Kagome knew she would be bleeding and throat wounds were one of the most difficult injuries to heal from. What were the odds of the jewel activating before he could injure her? With their incredible speed, Kagome didn't want to take the chance.

So with a deep sigh, Kagome let her body go limp in defeat. Yet, she was not ready to be submissive. Even with the hand wrapped around her throat, Kagome reached a hand up to brush her bangs out of her face so her icy gaze could pierce her kidnappers. It was probably a childish move but Kagome refused to look completely weak in front of her attackers.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Ayato couldn't help but smirk at the delectable looking female he held in his hands. He could nearly taste her defeat in the air, along with her bleeding wrist, but she still refused to voice her fear. She didn't cry out and tears didn't fill her eyes. No, she glared back at him with a fire burning in her blue eyes.

All her emotions were written clearly on her face and it was a refreshing sight. Yui had naturally learned to curb her reactions to the brothers after a few months when she had learned that her emotions, no matter if they were positive or negative, seemed to encourage their rough actions. This was a brand new vessel of blood for them who bravely glared back despite being lower down on the food chain.

Ayato wanted to see how many fierce expressions she could make. What would she look like when she was in pain? Would there still be a spark when she reeked of terror and fear shined in her eyes? Ayato just knew that her eyes would be unforgettable in a moment of pleasure as they stared up at him in worship.

He wanted to see how many different expression he could get to cross her face.

"That wasn't very nice, injuring my brothers like that," Ayato arrogantly drawled out.

"Let me go," she hissed back.

Ayato ignored the angry woman and looked over his shoulder. Behind him, Laito was picking himself up off the floor. His exposed skin was lightly charred but it was healing quickly. He seemed more upset that his hat had gotten damaged than at the pain that was inflicted upon him. Behind Laito, Kanato was coming down the stairs with his hand tightly gripping the red scruff of the mongrel Shu had brought home with Kagome. The dog was limp in the hands of the higher predator, his large body slightly dragging on the steps.

"Disgusting mongrel," Kanato hissed at when he saw his brothers' sight set on him.

Beneath his bare palm, there was a slight tingle and a strange scent filled the air. It was sweet but sharp, reminding Ayato of fresh dewdrops on a nightshade flower. Ayato raised a single eyebrow and glanced back at the woman he held in his grip. Her jewel eyes were narrowed and Ayato knew she was trying to summon whatever strange energy had attacked Laito.

His grip tightened around her throat, cutting off her airflow. For a brief second, Ayato got the satisfaction of seeing fear enter the strange woman's eyes as she struggled to breath. It was only when she started to thrash and the scent of fear turned to panic, that he loosened his grip once more.

"That was a warning," he growled out.

"That is improper behavior," a familiar but unwelcome voice droned on behind him. "It is rude to run away from those who graciously hosted you."

Kagome didn't say anything but Ayato could feel her glare move from him to his older sibling. Reiji stood oblivious, or uncaring, to the young woman's glare. Ayato prepared himself for the woman to try and attack again, not because he cared for Reiji but because he knew from past experience that her attacks were wide range and he would be affected too.

"Shall we go to another room where we can introduce each other and discuss your stay?" Reiji's tone was polite but everyone, even the strange Kagome, knew that this was not an offer. It was an order and not a very subtle one at that.

"You've kidnapped me but you're going to act like an elegant host?" Kagome asked in incredulity.

"Your manners have not improved," Reiji murmured quietly as he turned on his heels and lead the way to another room.

Ayato hated taking orders but if the glare in Kagome's eyes were any sign, it was that this woman was not going to submit easily. She would fight, just like she had been fighting since she had woken up and if she continued her struggle, Ayato would kill her. The small meal she would become would be such a waste when compared to the endless snacks she could provide if she continued to live. Past experiences proved that Reiji was the best at calming the sacrificial brides and driving the most important point into their heads. If they ran or tried to escape, they would die.

Something that this little hell cat needed to learn and _quickly_.

When Ayato finally entered the sitting room, with his delicious morsel being forced to follow him because of his grip on her throat, the eldest triplet was shocked by how similar the scene was. Before him was a small table with a large blue couch behind it and two armchairs flanking it. In the shadows of the back of the room, the brown couch was already occupied by a dozing Shu and laying submissively below him was the red mutt that had been in Kanato's hands earlier.

Reiji sat in the right armchair with his gloved hands clasped elegantly together. Subaru was leaning against the blue couch with his back to them and Raito and Kanato was standing side by side in front of the coffee table, their predatory eyes locked on the women Ayato dragged in behind him.

Ayato strutted towards his chair, ignoring the woman clawing at his own hand. Calmly, Ayato took his own seat and managed to maneuver Kagome into his lap without ever releasing her neck. She was now nestled between his longer legs with her back flushed to his chest. He held her two flailing wrists in own of his one while his other hand moved from her throat to wrap itself like a steel band around her chest. Even restrained though, Kagome continued to wiggle as much as she could in an effort to break free without using her special light.

Ayato quickly grew annoyed with her movements, especially when her body felt so good pressed against his own and her skin was only covered by a very thin nightgown. His hands continuously brushed against her soft stomach with every struggle she made and with each heave she attempted, her breasts brushed and pushed against his arm. Did she not realize how arousing her actions were? Ayato gave a low growl and he couldn't help but lean down to run his fangs teasingly along the pale neck before him.

Like a bucket of water had been poured on her, Kagome instantly went stiff in his grasp and her breath froze in her throat. The smell of her fear started to taint the air again and Ayato grinned against the soft skin that touched his lips. His tongue darted out to grabbed a quick taste before he pulled back. The scent of her fear was changing into anger and Ayato saw no need to experience the same pain that Laito had.

Ayato's smirk only grew wider when he saw the rest of his bothers watching their interaction. Even Shu had a single eye slightly opened, his normally relaxed state tense like his siblings. He felt even more pride when he could feel the heat of Kagome's rosy cheeks radiating with warmth because of her dark blush.

"Why does everyone want to _lick_ me?" Kagome squeaked out.

"I want a taste too," Kanato voiced out.

What little embarrassment was left in her quickly faded to anger and her sharp blue eyes glared at Kanato. She didn't try to wiggle around this time but Ayato could feel her hands clenching into a fist beneath his own grip. "Anyone else touches me and I will purify you."

There was a quiet pause as all the males consider this. Everyone had experienced her power at least once and it was not pleasant. The Sakamaki brothers were use to delivering pain, not receiving it and all, except maybe Laito, did like not the burning touch of her 'purity'.

"You will explain this purity," Reiji took charge of the conversation, "at a later date. For now, we should introduce each other for the sake of formality."

"A polite kidnaper," her words would have been unheard by human ears but they were not human. Reiji's lips tightened in distaste but he kept the rest of his face unreadable. She must have been feeling brave though because her voice suddenly filled with a bite of venom. "You've all been stalking me so I think you should at least know my name by now."

None of them liked her mouthing off to them. Ayato frowned and tightened his grip on her fragile wrists, feeling her flinch as the bones grinded together, just on the verge of a painful break. Her words were true but it would not be smart of her to verbally attack Reiji. Ayato wanted her to himself and he would not get that chance if Reiji decided she needed to be disciplined first.

"Then allow us to introduce ourselves," Reiji continued as if she had politely declined this request.

"That is the eldest son, Shu." Shu was still pretending to be dozing but Ayato could hear his irregular breathing and everyone could see his hand rhythmically stroking the fur of the canine who laid below him. This was the most energy the brothers had seen him exhibit since Yui's death. Great, even Shu seemed interested in the mortal Ayato wanted to claim.

"I am the second son, Reiji." Reiji still had not gotten up from his seat but his piercing crimson eyes were locked on Kagome. He was trying to be hospitable, maybe even disinterested but even with him upset with her, Ayato could see the gleam of interest in his eyes.

"This is the third, Ayato." At the sound of his name, Ayato leaned forward to rest his lips once more against her neck. His fangs ached to pierce her skin and taste the blood below but he was waiting. Once she found out she could not escape them, then the fight would run out of her just like the other brides. Once she was weak and submissive, he knew she would beg for his bite. "You won't get away again," Ayato promised darkly.

"Kanato," Reiji tilted his head towards the purple-haired brother. There was no title given to him but that didn't stop the youngest looking vampire from tilting his head to the side and giving Kagome the sweetest smile he could. Ayato could feel Kagome stiffening once more in his arms. "Please let me have another taste soon." Five glares, though one was very passive, was sent towards Kanato at the reminder that he had already tasted Kagome's blood.

"Laito." Laito had moved himself during Reiji's introductions so he that he was now draped along the blue couch. With a charming smile, Laito dipped his head towards Kagome and purred out, "Pleased to meet you, hato." A quick wink was sent in their direction and Ayato could feel Kagome blushing once more.

"And the last son, Subaru" Subaru gave an annoyed growl and turned slightly to glare at the woman in Ayato's arms. It was only then that Ayato could see a small patch of burned skin peeked up from under his black shirt. The little wild cat had gotten her claws into someone besides his red haired triplet. "This is a waste of time," Subaru growled out.

"I agree," Kagome quickly pipped up as she flashed the surrounding vampires a false grin. "So how about you let me go and we forget this ever happened?"

"You can try to run," said Laito. "You won't get far though and it will only make your blood run so much hotter."

It wasn't the most delicate way to announce her imprisonment but it seemed to do the trick. Kagome fell silent and her narrowed blue eyes swept across the room, pausing to assess all of the men she could see. Ayato was spared from her icy glance but he would feel her hostile aura and taste her confusion in the air.

The Sakamaki brothers were predators and predators had to be patient to be successful. So they let the silence stretch before them, growing thicker and thicker by the second. Finally, Kagome wiggled and turned to glare at Shu though her eyes still flickered around the room in an effort to keep tab on all of their positions.

"What _are_ you?" Like a dam had been broken, her words rushed out quickly before anyone had a chance to even answer her. "You are not yokai but I can still purify you. You not hanyous either since I don't sense any human blood in you. You are . . . different."

There was a moment of tense silence. "Vampires," Shu murmured quietly before anyone else.

"I like the term akuma," Kanato mumbled to himself.

"You always spoil it too quickly," Ayato growled to the eldest. The anticipation was the best part of having a new bride. Their confusion. Their fear. Their vulnerability. Even after learning she was in a house full of vampires with no way to escape, there was none of that. Instead Ayato could feel her defiance.

"Impossible," Kagome bit out.

"Not impossible, hato. You shouldn't be surprised. Our brother's bite is still on your palm."

"Some yokais bite and drink blood too," she muttered to herself.

"I can assure you that we are not yokai." Kanato's tone was cold and his arms flexed out of habit. Since the destruction of his teddy bear, Kanato had matured a bit but he still did actions, like hugging himself, as he would have done if he had been holding his bear. "We are vampires. Nothing more and nothing less."

"We have no reason to lie," Reiji said calmly. "It is impolite to accuse your hosts of deceit."

"Kidnappers," she corrected with false cheerfulness.

"This is becoming annoying." Subaru grumbled out. He finally turned around to fully face the family. His head was tilted down so his white bangs covered his left eye and he glared at Kagome. Ayato was actually surprised the youngest had held his temper for so long but his fists were clenched tightly, showing that his temper would not hold for much longer. "Just get to the point Reiji."

"Still as hot-headed as ever, little brother." Laito teased.

"Shut up you year-round slut," Subaru turned his glare to the smiling Laito. "I've _never_ thought of you as a brother."

"Annoying. Both of you shut up before I make you." Laito's smile only grew wider at the sight of the angry purple-haired triplet. It was always amusing to see Kanato mad since his younger looks made him appear like a pouting child despite his true age.

"Try it, pipsqueak," Subaru returned the challenge.

Ayato frowned at his brothers actions. It always seemed the same, bride after bride. Bored, he moved his neck forward so he could rest his chin on Kagome's shoulder. Her scent was so tantalizing that he couldn't resist rubbing his cheek against her pulsing neck, putting his own scent on her in a silent claim.

The action went unseen by all the vampires but a loud growl ripped the air apart. Surprised, all the vampires turned to glance at the angry canine by Shu. The red mutt was glaring at Ayato with his golden eyes narrowed to slits and his hackles raised high. Shu continued to run his hand fearlessly through his fur but it didn't calm the dog.

"Well, well," Reiji sighed. "Will you all stop acting like children? You are annoying even the beast and a gentle person like I can only have so much patience." One of Reiji's gloved hands moved to his hip, where they all knew his crop was hidden beneath his jacket.

It was then that the first fearful tremble shook Kagome's frame. The smell of her fear was starting to fill the air and all their eyes returned once more to her. Hunger lurked in their gazes and Kanato even gave her a large smile that shamelessly displayed his fangs. It was so delicious. Ayato couldn't help but turn his head towards her neck to drag his tongue along her pulsing vein again. "Are you trembling?" He whispered against her skin.

"No," she lied.

"Ahh, you are so cute." Laito took a step closer to her. Simultaneously Ayato tightened his grip around Kagome's body, her breath whooshing out in surprise and Subaru reached a hand out to grab Laito's shoulder in warning.

"I can see your teeth chattering," Kanato was suddenly by Ayato and Kagome's side. Before anyone could stop him, he leaned down and licked up the other side of her neck. "Your fear makes you taste much sweeter."

Her squeak filled the room. Ayato tried his hardest to not listen to his brothers, he was greater than them, but at that moment he found himself agreeing with Laito. Her surprised squeak and fearful scent made her very _cute_.

"Please, do not interrupt." Reiji quiet voice traveled over the room and everyone, even the mongrel, quieted down. "The talk will not advance otherwise." His head was still tilted down so his bangs covered most of his face but his crimson eyes somehow still managed to glare at Kagome and by extension, Ayato, menacingly. "There is only one fact that you must fully comprehend. You can never escape from us. Should you try, we will simply hunt you down."

"I'm not going to stay here," she growled back.

"She is very good at hide and seek," Kanato mused.

"We could simply kill you instead," Reiji calmly offered.

Ayato could only catch a glimpse of the dark, secretive smile that pulled on the edge of her lips from his perch on her shoulder. "You can try," her soft voice became sharp. "Shall we see who is left standing at the end of the night?"

A challenge. It was clear to everyone in the room that she had just issued a challenge but the worst part was, Ayato was not sure if she was bluffing or not. Very little, short of decapitation, could kill a pure born vampire but they had never experience the pink light she wielded. It had proven to be able to burn them and dealt true pain to them. Would too much of it become fatal?

Ayato frowned as he realized that he didn't know the answer. He didn't like not knowing, especially if it was keeping him from the blood that was running through the vessel that was nestled in his lap. His brothers seemed to be on the same thought train since even Reiji paused to consider her words.

"Your grandfather," Shu moved so he could use one arm to push himself up. His tired eyes were on Kagome, who was looking back at him in confusion. Taking his time, Shu moved himself so he was sitting properly on the couch and his legs rested on either side of the dog. "Your mother. Your innocent little brother. Can they fight like you can?"

It took a few seconds for Kagome to understand but when she did, a shocked gasp escaped her lips. Her surprise and terror was answer enough for the vampires around her. A corner of Shu's lips turned up in triumph and amusement. "It would be easy for us to kill them instead. Could you handle their blood on your hands?"

It was the moment they had all been waiting for. Kagome went limp in defeat within Ayato's grasp. Her head fell so her chin could tuck into the hollow of her throat and her blue eyes dropped to the floor. It was such a sweet sight that Ayato couldn't resist. He _had_ to have a bite.

His fangs were just pressing against her neck, on the verge of cutting skin, when a sharp crack startled him. Surprised, Ayato pulled back to glare at the culprit. Subaru was glaring back and the blue couch that was in front of him was now broken into two pieces from Subaru kicking it. Ayato wondered if this was the possessive instincts that raged in them all showing itself or if Subaru's temper had just snapped.

Laito took advantage of the distraction to transport to their side and lean down to run his own tongue over his side of her neck. Kagome's fierce wiggle brought Ayato's attention back to his little hostage just in time for him to see Laito about to pierce her. Before Ayato could stop him, a small sliver of pink light flashed out, attacking Laito's open mouth and even managing to shock Ayato, who was holding her, and Kanato, who was still standing on the other side of the chair. Laito hissed and pulled away before the pain could intensify. Kagome was glaring bravely at Laito while Laito rubbed a hand over his burning lips.

"I warned you," Kagome growled out.

"Yours Truly gave you a warning too." Ayato released her hands but before she could attempt to run, his free hand wrapped itself around her throat again. "You need to learn to listen." His grip tightened and Kagome was only able to struggle with a few seconds before the lack of oxygen proved too much for her. Her body went limp as she succumbed to unconsciousness.

"I can tell that we are going to have a long," Laito purposely drew out the word, "relationship with this one."

"We are lucky it is a weekend." Reiji pushed himself to his feet so his taller frame could tower above those of his brothers. "Her manners will need to be corrected before she is seen in public. See to it that she gets back to her room, unmolested." The sharp glare he gave to the triplets conveyed the hidden threat in his words.

"Until next time, little bride." Ayato whispered in Kagome's ear before easily lifting her up into her arms and strolling out of the room. Behind him, he could hear Kanato, Subaru and Laito falling in step behind him. Were they escorting him to her rooms? Did they not trust him?

Ayato mused that it was probably a wise idea. If he was left alone in her room, with her neck and body vulnerable to him, he might not be able to control his thirst and he wanted her to be aware of the first time he would bite into her. It was almost sad that she only knew Kanato's bite. Once Ayato got his fangs into her, she would not want any of his brother's.

The last thing Ayato's ears caught before he disappeared upstairs was Reiji's voice, who was still in the sitting room. "And put that thing outside. It is filthy and a menace."

* * *

The response to this little idea is _amazing_! I never thought that such an idea would be embrace and encouraged so heavily. Some of your reviews had me preening and blushing for hours. So why did it take me so long to update? Well to be honest, I lost my muse for this and my files to it. I had considered giving up on it but even after I had decide to let it die, reviews, favorites and follows still continued to stream in. I've never been so speechless before. For every review I got, I forced myself to write a little bit more even when I had writer's block and I had considered this abandoned. _Your reviews_ kept me writing against all odds.

So tell me what you thought of the second chapter. It turned out a little longer than I originally planned but I can not tell you how much I struggled to write their confrontation and how many times it has been rewritten. I finally decided to go for a mix between the anime and the game introduction so hopefully, everyone stayed in character enough to enjoy this story.

As always leave behind a review! Your reviews have proven to be helpful and I always take your words to heart, even if they are just encouragements, opinions or random thoughts. Do you prefer Kagome's view or the Sakamaki brothers'? Are you rooting for a specific pairing or a harem? Right now I'm consider who will bite Kagome's neck first (because bites need to happen sooner or later). Let me know what you think. With such a tiny crossover fandom, let's see if we, you and I, can create a story that will encourage others to give this idea a try. I would love to see this area grow larger.

_-Nightshade_


	3. Chapter Three

**_Chapter Three_**

_I remember her first few nights in the house. She was no docile bride like the others and her mysterious powers were a pain to deal with. We were always aware of her. Her purity, her smell, her very existence called to us. We knew where she was at every second and who she was with. We craved for her submission like a drug. Sometimes, more than her blood. The first few nights, we fought each other to be in her presence. Amusingly, those nights, she drew more blood than the vampires. A feat that she is still proud of to this day._

**_-Name Illegible_**

* * *

Kagome forced her eyes open and let out a loud groan. She was getting tired of waking up in strange places. It didn't help that her throat burned with every movement it made and the front of her head felt like it was being used as a marching drum. The sudden appearance of a well furnished room filled with different shades of blue did not help either. Her brain was scrambling to figure out where she was and the rapid running thoughts only made her feel more ill.

With a tortured whimper, Kagome pushed herself up using one arm and out of habit, her other arm stretched towards the foot of the bed, searching blindly the comforting touch of warm fur. The absence of a large, warm, breathing body frightened the remaining sleepy haze from her mind.

"Mamoru?"

Kagome hoped those bastards hadn't hurt her friend. Mamoru's family had stood by her side for generations, protecting her as she traveled. He was all she had left of a fairytale that had long ago ended and nothing in this world, or the next, could equal his value to her. He was one of the few things she would fight for, even if it meant giving up her life.

Kagome decided to sent out a quick spike of her aura before panicking. Since birth, Mamoru had been trained to come immediate at her summoning but after a few seconds, she didn't hear an answering bark or feel his own aura drawing closer to her. Kagome knew that the only reason he wouldn't be at her side right now was because he was physically unable to reach her.

The drawback of using her aura to summon her friend was that her kidnappers could feel her summoning too. Kagame felt the cold bites of six other auras as they instinctively flared back at the touch of her pure energy. Shivers raced down her spine at the odd, merciless touch of the predators and the thought that she had somehow drawn their attention back to her.

_Vampires_. After so many years of traveling and experiencing life, very little could surprise Kagome anymore but the thought of vampires existing was ridiculous to her at first. The young miko had seen many hanyous, gods and yokais in her time, across many lands too, but most of the other fairy tale creatures were just a case of mistaken identity. She remembered that she had once found an 'angel' but it turned out to just be a swan yokai with a beautiful set of white wings fooling a small town. Werewolves, she had discovered, were just a variety of inuyoukai species. Each region and pack had their unique coloring and markings, which explained how humans saw 'werewolves' with different appearances.

Kagome had yet to meet a vampire in her travels but she had assumed that these creatures were just a species of yokai pretending to be something else like all the others. She had once considered that it was a colony of bat yokai who grew too mischievous for their own good that had started the rumors of vampires. Except now she knew otherwise.

She took another look around the new, lavish room, stalling for time but it was soon clear that Mamoru was not coming. She had to find him then. Kagome and him were partners and one couldn't leave the other behind. It wasn't even a possibility in her mind. Filling her lungs full of air, Kagome focused on herself, spiritually reached inside her. The Shikon no Tama within was serene and she could feel it gently trying to recreate its own energy. It felt compliant, a feeling that Kagome did not trust but at least it had a small amount of its own energy source again and she would be able to use it if needed.

When Kagome pushed the bedroom door open, one of her hands traveled to her outer thigh out of habit. The familiar touch of her dagger was absent and the weight of her bow and arrows was gone too. She had stopped carrying her bow and arrows with her once the miko had found her birth family again but the disappearance of her dagger made her uneasy. It felt like a limb was missing from her body. She knew she would have to find another weapon to keep close until she could escape.

She didn't bother trying to be quiet as she strolled down the halls. The manor was large but if the vampires' senses as good as inuyoukais then they already knew where she was. They would be able to hear her soft footsteps on the expensive carpet, smell her scent in the house and even hear her heartbeat causing a racket inside her chest. With her head held high, Kagome blindly traveled the house, hoping for some kind of sign that would lead her to Mamoru.

After a few minutes, Kagome finally found the entranceway stairs. She traveled down them, her hand trailing along the banister after her. To be honest, she was surprised that none of the brothers had made themselves known yet. They said she could not leave and yet, there was nobody there to monitor her and prevent an attempt. The dark auras that lurked on the edge of her spiritual range didn't even move closer when she approached the door.

Kagome wrapped one hand around the handle that ran horizontally across the door and braced her hand on the other door. Using one arm as a brace to help stabalize her, she managed to heave twice but no matter how much strength she used, the door refused to budge for her.

"Open, damn you," Kagome hissed out between clenched teeth and she tugged again. It was clear though that no progress was being made and so, she delivered a swift kick out of frustration. "Ouch!"

More surprised than hurt, Kagome released the door and leaped back. The door had shocked her! It was almost like it had attacked her back for kicking it. The mike cautiously crept forward again and pressed her palms gently to the door. It was then that she felt the dark energy hidden beneath that she had overlooked before. It lurked and traveled within the wood, like an unseen rapid stream. Was it an enchantment? Or was it linked spiritually to one of the vampires she had met?

"You're not going to open for me, are you?" Great, now she was talking to inanimate objects and she hadn't even be exposed to the crazy vampires that long!

Surely there was another way out? Houses this old normally had three or four exits leading to the surrounding grounds. Kagome sighed deeply before turning on her heels and striding off in a random direction. She found the sitting room where they had had their discussion and hidden in a dark corner, was another door. This lead her to a game room where she caught a glimpse of a large pool table, several couches and a dart board before she found her way into another door. This time she could see a large room with a spiral staircase dominating one corner and . . . _was that a pool_?

Kagome paused in awe. She had only seen her school's pool and the outdoor pool that Souta use to love to go to when they were younger. This one was more elegant and fancier than any pool she had seen before and if it didn't belong to a bunch of psychotic vampires, she might have considered taking a dip.

"Focus," Kagome chanted to herself before continuing her search.

She found another door and was pleased to see that this one lead to a dining room. Now she was getting somewhere! There was two doors to choose from now. Kagome knew that one door lead to another part of the house while the other door would lead to a kitchen since there was always a kitchen connected to the dining room.

A grin broke out across her face when she chose the right door and found herself in the kitchen. It was a very large kitchen that sparkled as if it had recently been cleaned by a perfectionist. Pots gleamed with the help of what little moonlight was getting in and there appeared to be a walk-in pantry paired with the biggest fridge she had ever seen!

Her stomach chose then to grumble and Kagome didn't hesitate to open the fridge. There was so much food stored away that the shelves were overflowing and it held a wide variety of snacks and meals. Kagome was pretty sure that the large tupperware in front of her held some kind of pasta and there was a lot of sweets and cakes stored away too. _A lot_. It was the takoyaki on the top shelf that caught her attention though and Kagome swiftly grabbed two of the five pieces with her fingers and popped them into her mouth.

'_It's delicious_.' Kagome couldn't help but hum around the delightful flavor.

She grabbed the plate containing the remaining takoyaki before closing the fridge. She then moved towards some of the counters, pulling out each drawer and searching their contents. The expensive silverware rattled loudly as she carelessly brushed through it. Spoons. Straws. Chopsticks. Fork. Butter knife. Briefly she wondered which one would make a deadlier weapon, the butter knife or the fork?

She opened another drawer and finally found what she was looking for. She gave a small cry of victory as she gazed down at all the knives. Who knew they came in so many shapes and sizes? There was a bread knife, some cleavers, a long blade that looked like it was missing a chunk from the center and many others but for the sake of convenience, Kagome grabbed a steak knife that was slightly larger than her hand. It wasn't her dagger but she felt better knowing she now had a weapon that she could channel her aura into if she needed too.

She wanted to try and summon her canine once more but she didn't want to prompt the vampires around her. With their senses they probably knew that she was already in the kitchen but she didn't want to bring them to her by enticing them or revealing that she was going to attempt an escape. She didn't want them near her even though she now had a means to defend herself. A single knife against six vampires was a fool's gamble and she knew it.

Once outside, Kagome took a moment to look around. The sun had already set and moonlight bathed the area before her, giving the land an eerie, ghostly glow. She was standing at the head of some stairs that overlooked a small garden with a variety of flowers blooming in its midst. White concrete flowed between the sections, splitting them evenly so one would be able to stand in the midst of the garden and enjoy all the heavenly scents equally. In the distance, surrounding the U shaped manor was a forest and even further than that, resting on the edge of the horizon, is what appeared to be a lake. Kagome traveled down the stairs, coming to a stop before the impressive rose garden.

'_Now where could they have put him?_' She pursued her lips and gave out a low whistle that was specially taught to her.

The pitch was similar to a modern day dog whistle. She was not able hear it because she was human but she knew from experience that the low pitch was audible to dogs, wolves and canine yokais. Briefly, Kagome wondered if the vampires inside would be able to hear the sound or not.

"You wouldn't be attempting anything stupid, would you hato?" Kagome gave a squeak of surprise and she quickly turned around, shoving the knife behind her back. The plate of takoyaki she was holding in her other hand fell to the ground, the expensive plate shattering and scattering the remaining food.

'_Speak of the devil and you shall summon him_.' One of the vampires was now standing on the steps behind her, the raised platform giving him enough height to tower over her. He was one of the redheads. The one who did not understand personal space and every time she had seen him, he was wearing the same fedora. Raito? No, no. Laito.

"Who are you calling hato?" Kagome snapped back.

An easy grin spread across Laito's face and the light in his eyes turned lustful. "You smell so good when you are angry. I like a woman who fights back."

Kagome took a few steps back, putting some distance between them. Feline green eyes watched her retreat, Laito's smile growing wider until a single fang was displayed. Kagome's hand tightened around the handle of the knife out of fear but she continued to bravely glare back at him. She held the advantage as long as there was some distance between them and they both knew it.

"Where's Mamoru?" Kagome darkly asked.

"Hmm. Why are you looking for him? If it's a beast you want, I can help you out."

Kagome couldn't help but blush a bit at his comment. _Hentai_. "Where is my dog?"

"Or perhaps you would rather be the one receiving commands." Laito chuckled lightly and used his tongue to moisten his bottom lip. "I could train you. I'd have you eating out of my palm soon enough. You'll speak, beg and _come_ on my command."

Before Kagome could even think of an response back, she felt another aura suddenly appear behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to be met with wide, orchid color eyes framed with bags underneath them. At the sudden appearance of Kanato, and the memory of his previous attacks on her, Kagome tried to move away from him but the youngest looking vampire grabbed her wrist with a bruising grip before she could escape.

"Ne, Laito. Do you think I could break her, too?"

"Hands off," the second redhead, Ayato, made a sudden appearance. A low growl was rumbling in his chest and one his hands was wrapped around Kanato's wrist, the same wrist that was connected to the hand that was holding Kagome's wrist. Kanato glared at his brother as he slowly released his grip on the miko, leaving behind a large bruise that was imprinted on her skin. "Yours Truly refuses to share this one."

"You didn't share the last one," Kanato childishly argued back.

Kagome took a sly step back, more than willing to let the brothers argue amongst themselves. If they were distracted with each other, than they wouldn't be focused on her. Fate must have had to hate her, Kagome decided, because when she stepped back, her foot kicked against one of the larger shards from the plate she had dropped. The glass clinked against the concrete and three pairs of eyes turned their attention back to her.

"Is that my takoyaki?" Abate yelled out when he caught sight of the scattered food.

"No?" Kagome meant to state it firmly but it come out sounding more like a question. How was she suppose to know that it belonged to someone specifically? In her house, leftovers were available to anyone who wanted them.

"What right do you have to take Your Truly's food?" Ayato took a threatening step forward and Kagome glowered back, her fingers flexing against the handle of the knife. Before Ayato could get within her striking range, Laito was suddenly pressed flush against her back. The hand that was holding the knife was now pinned to her hip by a yet another bruising grip. Three different bruises were now throbbing in pain from the marks each brother had left behind.

"What do we have here?" Laito's lips brushed sensually against her ear with each word. "You _are_ attempting something stupid."

"Let go of me," Kagame snapped out. A small pink light coiled itself around her arm and the very air around her sparked with electricity. Ayato and Kanato growled at her, each one taking a protective step back. Laito tried to avoid the attack by retreating but Kagome ripped her arm out of his grip before he could get far and spun around with agility that normal mortals did not possess. She slashed with precision, the sharp knife catching the jacket sleeve of the retreating hentai and cutting the skin beneath. One of the vampires behind her gave a low hiss but she didn't know if it was because of her defiance or her managing to injure one of the brothers.

She smirked at the sight of the three vampires. They were giving her some distance now but their eyes were watching her carefully. It reminded her of a pack of sharks circling their prey just before they attacked. She could feel their auras intensifying and in the back of her mind, Kagome knew that this was a dominance technique that most demons used. They would increase their aura to get lower pack members to obey them or submit. Koga had used it often on his pack and Sesshomaru radiated a powerful, dominating aura without even trying.

The three brothers were powerful. There was no doubt about that but they were untrained. Their potential was not fully reached yet and Kagome was able to match them easily. Her own purity flared up, letting them know instinctively that she was not going to submit.

Kanato wrapped his arms around himself, his enlarged purple eyes never leaving her. "Why are you out here?" It sounded like he was speaking to himself instead of Kagome.

"I'm looking for Mamoru." Kanato didn't look like he understood what she was saying so she tried to clarify for the creepy vampire. "My _dog_."

"Reiji said no dogs are allowed inside and Shu wouldn't put him outside." Purple eyes flickered around to look at his brothers before a sadistic smile spread across Kanato's face. The dark grin coupled with his childish appearance made Kagome extremely uncomfortable. "He fought us and disobedient pets must be punished."

Did they kill him? Were they not above murdering an innocent animal? "What. Did. You. Do. To. Him?" Kagome snarled out.

"Easy now. No need to bare your fangs." Laito reached a hand up to tip his hat towards his eyes. Kagome was growing to hate that fedora the more she spent time around the hentai. "What my brother meant was that your beast is safe. A little tied up at the moment but we didn't kill him."

"Take me to him," Kagome demanded.

"Do not give Yours Truly an order!" Ayato yelled back. His hands tightened into fists but he didn't move towards her, choosing to keep his distance.

"Don't you get sick of calling yourself Yours Truly?" Kagome couldn't help but ask. After all, it must be difficult referring to yourself by another name. Did he ever slip and say 'Ayato' instead? The dark look that overshadowed Ayato's face told Kagome that her curiosity was not a welcomed thing.

'_Focus Kagome. Now is not the time to wonder about the habits of your kidnappers_.'

Demanding was not getting her anyway and while the vampires were keeping their distance now, how long would it last? If they chose to attack her, how long would she be able to keep them back? She had the advantage of having a power that would keep them at bay but her powers had a limited quantity and they had the advantage of outnumbering her if they chose too. She had also never been without her companion for this long before and it was making her uneasy. No words would be able to describe how much she needed to know that Mamoru was at least safe. Did she have an unhealthy attachment to her canine? Maybe but after everything, Mamoru was the only thing that had never left her side and she _needed_ him back.

"Please. Can you at least take me to him?" Kagome said quietly.

"You're adorable when you beg for me," Laito chuckled to himself. "The beast is bound to free himself soon anyways." This time he spoke to his brothers, each one exchanging looks between themselves.

"I hate that beast." The whimper in Kanato's voice drew Kagome's attention back to him. Kanato was hugging himself even tighter, with his bottom lip trembling and large tears were building in his eyes. "Bad dogs should be put down."

Kagome felt no pity for him. She knew how Kanato was able to fake his tears and there was no way for her to know if these tears were real or not. If Mamoru had attacked them like they were implying, it was because they had attacked him first. Her dog was intelligent and he would never harm an innocent life, no matter what their species was. Besides, Kagome couldn't see any injuries on the three brothers around her, so if Mamoru did attack them, he did not inflict any lasting damage.

"Tch." A decision seemed to be made and they were letting Ayato be the spokesperson. Ayato's hand moved as if to grab her but he thought better of it and instead chose to turn around and stomped off. "Come on. Yours Truly has seen fit to give your mangy mutt back."

. ~: . V . :~ .

Reiji's eyes flickered over the pages quickly. Yokais, a word the young woman had spoken, was easy enough to research. Japan was filled with tales of yokais and spirits. When that research had yielded none of the results he wanted, he had attempted to search for information regarding the thing she called a pet. The problem was, he was no pureblood dog and some of the creatures he had found that matched his description, have never been recorded to cross-breed with each other. Whatever _it_ was, it was unique.

Next, Reiji had attempted to find the source of the strange energy she wielded. He could find nothing though. There was no records of this magic and the brides before her had not possessed anything close to similar. He concluded, against his will, that she was unique too.

He was slowly making his way through all his books. Even the ones which were not relevant, were read in hopes of revealing something. Reiji had to figure her out. She filled his mind and thoughts like a new drug, teasing him into a race with no end in sight. He needed a weakness. A true, dominant predator needed to know all about his prey. To teach her, to break her, Reiji needed to know what imperfection to cultivate.

Reiji's vampiric brain worked in ways that would confused a normal human. One part of his mind was always instinctively aware of his surroundings. He could feel his brothers in different parts of the house and their new guest, who was currently wandering aimlessly through their halls. Another part of his brain was reading the words in each book, freshly re-memorizing every page as the final part of his brain compared what he was reading to information he already had and monitored his raging thoughts.

All of Reiji's mind abruptly froze as he forced himself to slowly reread one of the pages before him. He moved the front half of the book so it would partially close, his gloved thumb pressed between the pages to keep his place, so he could read the title. _A State of Purity_. Now, this book held some interesting knowledge. It spoke of purity and the dying race that used to be able to control such magic. There use to be a wide variety of their species but soon after the disappearance of yokais they had no reason to be born and so they died out. True monks and mikos were written to no longer existed in this age but the similarities could not be a coincidence.

Reiji moved his thumb out and snapped the book closed. His crimson eyes flickered to the window that overlooked the grounds. Below him, Kagome had manage to enter the back garden but he could sense the triplets closing in on her. Hidden in the shadows on his lab, Reiji watched their interaction below. She had fire and spirit, that was obvious when she dared to strike Laito with the hidden knife and tear his sleeves. Reiji frowned at the unmannered display. _'She will correct that mistake later.' _Reiji would have no choice but to teach her. He enjoyed her spirit but he craved to see her submission more. He would train her on proper mannerism and when it was appropriate to use that fiery spirit of hers.

She was the ultimate prize to them. A vessel unlike any before and none will ever match her afterwards as he was now certain. Below him, following his kin into the forest, was the last living miko. "How exquisite."

. ~: . V . :~ .

Kanato followed as Ayato lead the way into the forest that surrounded the manor. The woman, Kagome, was quick to trail after him with Laito following behind the group. Kanato moved past Laito, forcing his smaller legs to move quicker so that he was walking close to Kagome's side. Kanato caught sight of her blue eyes flickering towards him, cautious but rebelllious.

A sly glance behind him revealed that Laito was more than willing to keep his distance and travel at a slower pace. His bright green eyes were watching Kagome's backside, a perverted blush spreading over his cheeks with each step she took. Kanato frowned and flashed his brother a warning look but it went unnoticed. His arms flexed by his side and for the millionth time, he wished he had Teddy in his arms. Alas, Teddy had yet to recover from his noble sacrifice to save their last bride and Reiji still claimed to be too busy to repair his bear.

'_Teddy should be more important than any other task_,' Kanato growled internally.

Their travels into the surrounding forest was noisy. He could hear the nocturnal birds singing in the trees. The wind rustling the leaves. The woman's labored breath as they traveled farther and farther. The only redeeming thing about the trip was the sound of Kagome's steady, sweet heartbeat sounding by his side. With each beat, her heart gave off a scent far sweeter than any candy, bringing back the memory of her taste on his tongue and making him crave it again but even with the company of her delicious scent, Kanato was finding this trip exceedingly annoying and a waste of time.

He should have left by now. He had discovered what had made the annoying, shrill whistle that had hurt his ears, which was his original intention. He had discovered that he couldn't kill the source of the sound . . . _yet_. He could be doing something meaningful right now. He could be cleaning his beautiful wax figures. He could be attempting to fix Teddy himself, _again_, but instead his brothers had to show up. Now he felt the need to defend his prey against his kin.

Kagome belonged to him. It was his bite that still rested on her palm. He had tasted her blood first. He was the first to make her shed tears. His brothers just craved what he already owned. They always took from him! They bullied him. They use to hide Teddy and his sweets from him but this woman, he wouldn't give her up so easily.

'_She is mine. She just doesn't know it yet._'

After some time, they made it to the heart of the forest. Kanato gazed in satisfaction at the sight before him. The dog that their eldest brother insisted on kidnapping was currently laid out on the floor. Several pieces of ropes bound him so he was unable to make any movements. One length was wrapped tightly around his muzzle, keeping his jaw firmly shut while a second piece was used to wrap his front paws together. A third rope tied his back feet to each other and finally a fourth piece forced his bound front and back paws together. There was clumps of fur missing in certain areas and one of his back legs was broken and displaying jagged bone shards pressed against the skin from beneath. Kanato was pretty sure that in the tussle, his elbow had connected with the beast's jaw too and something had shattered loudly upon impact. The dog's wide golden eyes caught sight of Kagome and his previously subdued spirit flared back to life.

The dog was now whimpering and flailing around in a pathetic attempt to get to his mistress. Kagome was obviously distraught at the sight of the hurt animal. Her sharp gasp and the smell of her tears made Kanato's mouth dry and awakened the need to sink his fangs into one of her arteries. It excited him to see her this distressed and the sight of the injured beast was just an added bonus.

Kanato felt no pity for the beast since it was really the dog's fault. After Reiji had ordered him out, he had refused to leave Shu's side and the eldest brother made no move to force the dog out either. Subaru, wanting to get back to sleep, had moved to forcefully remove the dog but the beast had attempted to take a bite out of the youngest's hand. Afterwards, Subaru and Reiji had refused to touch him and Shu didn't do anything as usual, choosing to doze behind the growling dog. Reiji was still insistent on getting the dog out though and so the job had fallen onto the triplets.

It had taken all three of them to wrestle the dog out. He fought with advance intelligence and kept trying to escape upstairs where Kagome was. Even more surprising was that the dog was capable of injuring them. Normal animals' teeth were not able to penetrate their skin but this mutt's fangs cut through their skin like a knife through butter. The triplets had multiple, bleeding wounds inflected on them and destroyed some furniture too, much to Reiji's disgust, just to get the dog outside. Kanato had wanted nothing more than to kill the canine after his fangs had sank painfully into Kanato's arm but his brothers somehow managed to rope the beast and tie it up before he got the chance. The triplets had then thrown him in the heart of the woods where they thought they would be able to leave the creature to rot. They had hoped that they would be able to get rid of their problem and listen to the dog's dying cry but Ayato and Laito had decided to give the creature back to Kagame before that could happen.

Kanato could feel the twisted grin on his face as he watched the upset woman kneel by the dog's side and start to cut the rope with the knife she still carried. What did she see in the disgusting beast? Did she want a companion? Kanato could be her companion. He would be able to be there for her day and night as long as she was his slave and gave him her body and blood whenever he demanded it. Did she just like the feel of the fur? If so, Kanato could have the dog stuffed and displayed like his proud collection of the previous brides. Then Kagome would get to keep her pet and it would be a beautiful toy without the mess of a living animal. They could _both_ be happy then.

"What's going through your head, brother?" Laito was suddenly standing by Kanato's side, his voice too low for a human to hear. "Does it involve a certain hato crouched so deliciously before us?"

_Hato_? Kanato tilted his head a bit as he mulled the nickname over. "She doesn't look like a bird to me."

"You'll see it soon enough." Gone was Laito's usually playful voice. Instead dark promise now filled his tone and his eyes darkened with his own sadistic joy.

Kagome finally freed the dog and once he felt freedom, the beast jumped to his paws. His red hackles were stiff and his injured lips were pulled back to reveal his canines, including several chipped teeth. Blood splashed to the floor from various wounds and his broken leg was held up from the ground. He must have been in immeasurable amount of pain but he still position himself so he was guarding Kagome and facing off against Kanato and his brothers.

"Mamoru, hold still." Kagome's sweet voice soothed from behind the angry canine. Kanato watched as Mamoru's round ears fell slightly back to catch the tone of his mistress' voice. "Let me heal you."

The brothers' curiosity was perked when Kagome reached a hand over the dog's back and pressed her palm firmly against his far shoulder. Shudders raced down their spines, both of pleasure and pain, when Kagome's hand started to light up. The energy that Kanato was slowly starting to despise, was absorbed by the dog, who gave out a pleased whimper. Before their very eyes, they watched as the damage they did to the dog was healed. The leg was put back in place, new fur grew in and the missing chips to his teeth healed until they were whole again. The flow of blood slowly decreased until only the tiny droplets that clung to his freshly grown fur was evidence of his injuries.

At the same time, Kanato watched in displeasure as the mark he had left to encompass her wrist, the dark beautiful bruise he had been careful to leave behind, healed before his very eyes until only a natural, cream shade of skin was left in its place. The bruises on her other wrist from Laito had also healed along with the large purple bruise that use to be around her neck from this morning. Her eyes, which were previously drooping with exhaustion, now held a new light and vigor in them. Kanato growled loudly, startling his brothers and Kagome. He would just have to work harder to leave a mark behind. He has no choice but to mark her so deeply that her very center will cry his name and nobody will doubt his claim. '_Mine. She's mine!_'

"Kanato?" Ayato questioned quietly. Laito and Ayato were frowning too, displeased that their marks had healed as well but they didn't look nearly as upset as Kanato. His brothers were looking at him oddly, noticing his abnormal behavior but not even Kanato could explain why he had been feeling so different since he had started his game with Kagome.

Kanato moved around the dog, who snapped his teeth at him warningly, until he and Kagome were on one side with the beast acting as a barrier between them and his brothers. Kagome's heart jolted in surprise, not seeing Kanato move at all, before meeting his gaze defiantly. Kanato loved her eyes. So bright. So expressionate. He didn't want anyone else to see them, to see that look of confusion and fear. He wanted them all to himself.

"I'll claim my prize soon," Kanato promised to her before teleporting back home.

He _really_ needed to talk to Teddy right now.

. ~: . V . :~ .

The air was full of tension. Kagome was still knelt behind Mamoru and her protector, now fully healed, refused to relax. He kept his large body between her and the vampires. Partially hidden from view, Kagome was nervously twirling the knife in her hands as she debated her situation. With Kanato gone, there was now only two vampires left. She had fought these same two off before and while healing Mamoru had weakened her, she was sure she had enough energy to fight if she had too. Now, what were the odds of her reaching the end of their property before the other brothers were alerted? How far would she be able to go before the six supernatural beings caught her?

"You won't make it far." Against her will, Kagome raised herself up a little bit so she could peek over Mamoru's shoulder and see Ayato shrugging. Was she that obvious in her thoughts? Or were vampires capable of reading minds too? As if in response to her thoughts, Laito made a show of exhaling heavily. _Her scent_. "Reiji did something to the land a long time ago. He can feel anyone who gets close to the border, no matter what." Was it a barrier? Would she be able to break it, if so?

"Why would you want to leave us?" Laito pouted. "We haven't even gotten to play yet."

There was no point denying her plans. If their senses were sharp enough to figure out what she was thinking then they would be able to smell if she told a lie. Kagome chewed on her bottom lip as she debated the situation. Should she make a run for it anyways or wait? She didn't know much about her enemies yet and if she didn't know about them, she didn't know their weaknesses. The Shikon no Tama could only help her so much and then she would need to be able to fight them off using her own skills. This was a new species to her though and she wasn't sure if their weaknesses matched the yokais she had faced before.

"Hato, give me the knife and then we can head home." For once, Kagome heard a serious tone in Laito's voice. He wasn't joking or playful and nothing in that sentence was suggestive. He really expected her to follow his orders and hand over the only weapon she had.

"I'd rather not." Mamoru gave a single, deep bark of agreement.

"Quit arguing with us," Ayato snapped back.

"No," Kagome's grip tightened impossibly around the weapon.

"I'll pry it painfully from your hands." Ayato threatened ominously.

Kagome smirked and raised her hand so they could clearly see the knife she was holding. Several pink sparks danced along the blade, hissing and spitting like angry cobras. "Try it," Kagome dared.

There was several seconds of silence as Kagome and Ayato glared at each other. Kagome wasn't worried about Laito yet, trusting that Mamoru would let her know if the other vampire decided to act as reinforcement for his brother. The growing silence seemed endless until it was shattered by giggles. The sound was so unexpected that Kagome jumped in fear. She turned in surprise to see Laito giggling to himself, his eyes almost closed in mirth and his cheeks becoming rosier by the second.

"Hato, you are amusing. Ayato, let her keep the blade for now." An unspoken message was exchange between the pair of green eyes. Kagome knew there was a message, because afterwards, Ayato nodded and his tense posture relaxed.

"Come on, the others must have noticed her absence by now." Ayato said gruffly before turning around and striding off.

For now, Kagome had no choice. She knew she had one chance to escape, just one, and she wasn't going to waste it on a foolish gamble. She needed a weakness she could exploit and right now, she didn't know that weakness. To run would be suicidal.

"What do you think, Mamoru?" Kagome ignored Laito's penetrating gaze. "What are your instincts telling you?"

The red furred canine shook out his fur and leaned down to nose Kagome's arm. Instead of moving her deeper into the forest, he was nosing her towards Laito and the retreating Ayato. "Hope you're right," Kagome murmured to her friend. Laito held out his hand, keeping it out of reach of Mamoru's bite but still offering his help.

Kagome got to her feet on her own, ignoring Laito's extended hand. She walked around the extended limb, treating it like a disease, and Mamoru followed close by, staying by Kagome's hip. She glared at Laito, who was still watching her. "This isn't over." Kagome promised the perverted vampire.

"I look forward to our next meeting," he flashed a fanged grin.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Kagome stood back in the kitchen, eying Ayato and Laito. Once they had gotten inside the manor again, both of them had froze and turned their eyes to her. It was like they were expecting something from her but Kagome wasn't sure what they wanted. Their unwavering gazes were pinned on her and Kagome shifted, unsure what they were waiting for. When the tension grew too thick, the miko could stand it no longer.

"What?" She questioned rudely.

"Make Yours Truly more takoyaki." Ayato demanded.

"Why?"

"It's only fair since you stole Ayato's meal." Laito answered for him.

"I don't know how to make takoyaki," huffed Kagome. '_Did vampire eat human food?_' All the rumors she remembered about them said that they only drank blood. Not that she was complaining if there was another type of food for them to consume.

"Idiot," Ayato drawled out.

"That's a problem. How do you plan to pay Ayato back, then?" Laito moved with his superspeed and Kagome could feel him pressed against her back, _again_. His arms were wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into him. Kagome knew she needed to teach him a lesson in personal space if she was going to stay here for any length of time. "I vote that you allow my brother a sample of your mouthwatering blood."

Mamoru reacted quicker than Kagome and the dog whirled around, his massive canines aimed for Laito's leg. It was the vampire's unnatural speed that saved him from the angry canine and kept his clothes from getting more damaged than they already were. "Please respect my personal space," Kagome stated emotionlessly once Laito reappeared again, this time a safe distance away from her.

Ayato was eying the dog, unsure if it was worth pressing the issue now or not. Her beast was quickly turning into a problem for him and his brothers. This dog was smarter than any other canine Ayato had encountered and the wounds that his teeth had inflicted on them had burned unnaturally as they healed. The mutt was still glaring at Laito and Kagome thought she was slyly moving away from them but both vampire brothers were aware of every move she made. For now, they would let her escape.

Kagome slipped through the door without any of the vampires pursuing her and Mamoru was only a second behind her. The miko felt safer with a wooden door between them but she knew it wouldn't offer much protection if they chose to pursue her. Well she had escaped the redheads, for now, so she was left with the toughest question yet. _Now what_?

"Do you think they have an archery range?" Kagome asked.

Mamou rolled his eyes.

"Fine, fine. What are your instincts telling you, oh great protector?"

Kagome followed Mamoru as he lead the way through the halls. With him leading the way, Kagome didn't feel so afraid or confused despite the never ending, similar halls. They traveled through different hallways and doors before Mamoru chose to stop in front of a large double oak door. Her companion sniffed along the bottom gap before raising a paw and scratching insistently.

"What did you find?" The second Kagome opened the door, Mamoru darted inside excitedly.

They found themselves in a huge library. Shelves filled most of the room and a small section of the wall had an alcove with beautiful glass surrounding the back. It overlooked some of the forest in the distance and let the bright moonlight filter in. Mamoru wasted no time and raced towards the alcove, leaping onto it without making a sound. He circled several times before plopping down, his eyes focused on the night sky and the stars. Kagome smiled sadly as the wistful look in his eyes. _'I wonder if he misses those moonlight nights we use to have_.'

To keep from dwelling on things she could not control, Kagome turned back to the shelves. It was no secret that the miko hated math with a passion but over the years, she had grown to love reading. Books, she had discovered, held so many tales, some of them long forgotten by mortals, and some of the aging novels before her enticed her curiosity.

"Good find," Kagome praised Mamoru before moving towards one of the bookshelves. She absentmindedly placed the knife on a shelf that ran parallel to her hips so she could use both hands to wiggle out a tightly packed book that caught her attention.

"What are you doing here?" A furious voice demanded.

How had Kagome not sensed him? She tried to hide her surprise as she turned around and came face to face with white hair and a blazing crimson eye. The youngest, Subaru, did not look happy to see her. This was a different reaction from the triplet's possessive or flirtatious interactions. Subaru towered over her, trapping her between him and the shelves behind her. One of his hands was clenched tightly in a fist and just the mere sight of her seemed to pissed him off.

Kagome was not afraid and chose glared back. "I was going to read," she answered the rhetorical question.

"Idiot." Subaru slammed his palm into the shelf by her left ear. The wood cracked but his sudden movement and the sharp sound failed to make Kagome react. "Why are you _still_ here?"

Maybe he was not part of her kidnapping? Kagome had assumed that they all had a part in taking her from her home but now that Kagome thought about it, she had not met Subaru before her kidnapping like the others. Did he have no part in it? Would he be willing to help her escape?

"It's not like I haven't tried," Kagome growled back.

"Try harder," Subaru hissed back. "You will die here."

Kagome hated being command. She wanted to escape but she couldn't be stupid about it. Earlier, the door wouldn't open for her and there was no way she was leaving Mamoru behind. Once she had found Mamoru, she was still in the company of the other brothers and it was then that she was informed that if she tried to escape, Reiji would know. The rage and hopelessness of the situation just made her upset and Subaru commanding was just increasing agitation. Pink and purple sparks danced along her skin and Subaru pulled back when he caught sight of them. '_Looks like he remembers how it feels'_, Kagome thought darkly. It gave her some joy to know she could fight back when she chose too.

"I was told if I run, your family would kill me." No way was Kagome telling him her plans. Even if it was not part of her kidnapping, he might still tell his brothers. She didn't know where his loyalties lied. "Now, _get off me_."

There was a small flash as the jewel reacted to her distress. Subaru moved faster than her eyes could follow and when Kagome spotted him again, he was on the other side of the room, out of range of her small attack. Kagome pressed her hand to her chest, hoping to convey her happiness to the Shikon no Tama. The jewel had been listening to her more these past few weeks than it has been doing in decades and for that, Kagome was thankful.

Subaru looked ready to murder. Kagome could hear rumbles from his chest and now both of his hands were formed into fists. As her power died down, Kagome found herself pressed against the shelf before she could defend herself. One of Subaru's hands had enveloped her freshly healed neck and was pinning her in place. Kagome thrashed as much as she could, furious to find herself in this position again. One hand scrambled and felt wildly behind her, searching for the knife that she had place on the shelf. Her fingers managed to curl around the handle at the same time that Subaru thrust his face into the side of her neck.

"You will learn your place," he warm breath bathed the side of her neck, causing shivers to erupt over her skin. "To us, you are nothing more than a simple blood vessel."

He moved quickly, faster than the miko herself. Kagome had the chance to feel two sharp points, similar to the point of a knife, pressed against her neck. The pressure alone caused Kagome to freeze instinctively. This move was similar to the canine behavior she had been exposed too in the past but unlike the inuyoukai or the wolf youkai that she had been around, the pressure of fangs did not stop with her submission. They continued to press down until Kagome felt the unmistakeable feeling of her skin tearing. She snapped out of her stupor quickly and swung her knife out.

She fueled the knife like she use to power her arrows. A piece of her aura pulsed and traveled along the weapon, turning it deadlier than it already was. With an object to wrap around, she wasn't using as much energy as her other, much wider range attacks. The knife cut through his skin with the help of her aura and dug deeply into Subaru's side, right between a set of ribs.

There was no sound of pain or a yell of outrage. Instead Subaru yanked his teeth away and let out a grunt, surprised at her attack. As he stumbled away, Kagome kept a firm hold on the blade, pulling it from his flesh as he retreated. She was not about to let him walk away with her only weapon, even if he was injured by her hand.

"Maybe not so simple," Kagome corrected viciously as she raised her free hand to clamp it over her neck.

The bite had been shallow. He had barely broken the skin and very little blood was trailing down. She had had wounds in the past that were more serious than this but that wasn't what was on her mind right now. All she could think about was his fangs pressed against her neck, threatening to drink her blood. _He had tried to bite her_! She was filled with a mix of fear, anxiety and rage at the thought.

Unlike herself, Subaru was not so lucky with his injuries. The smell of burnt skin filled the room and his once white shirt was now torn and stained a dark crimson. Subaru had his own hand clasped to his side, his pale skin turning a light pink from his own blood. It was his eyes that drew her attention though. They were wistful and sad, with a light that she had seen reflected in her own eyes not so long ago. It was that same look that shot a bolt of guilt through Kagome's chest. For a brief moment she wanted to apologize but she resisted, insisting mentally that he had attacked her first.

"Please do not contaminate the library in such a way." Were vampires capable of teleporting? Because that was the only reason Kagome could think of that would explain why they were able to sneak up on her so well. She turned wide eyes to Reiji, who was now standing in the center of the room. "Is it so difficult to follow a single rule?"

It didn't sound like a rhetorical question. In fact, with the way that he was posed and his eyebrows raised expectantly, Kagome could tell he was waiting for an answer. How nice of him to focus on broken rules instead of the fact that Kagome and Subaru were both bleeding in front of him. His cold glare might have frightened other people but she had seen worse. He's nothing compared to a certain daiyoukai she use to know and so, Kagome decided to be stupidly cheeky.

"I've not tried to escape," she said unhelpfully. That was the only rule she knew of and therefore the only rule she was capable of breaking.

Reiji barely glanced at her before turning his attention back to Subaru. The youngest still had his hand pressed to his ribs and his face was contorted in pain but from between the flaps of his torn shirt, Kagome could see that he was already healed. So, she wondered, how could he still be in pain if there was no injury?

"Take such activities to your private room in the future." The line sounded rehearsed to her ears. "Subaru, clean up for dinner. We will talk afterwards." Without another word, Reiji dismissed the youngest vampire. Subaru glared at Reiji but still chose to disappeared before Kagome's very eyes, like a mirage shimmering out of existence.

Now Kagome was alone with another brother. She eyed Reiji, not quite sure what to think of him. Unlike his brothers, he was more refined and his attitude was faintly familiar to her though she didn't know why. His very gaze seem to reprimand her but there wasn't much Kagome could do. He literally found her with a bloody knife and his own brother bleeding in front of her. It didn't take much to figure out what had happened.

Crimson eyes trailed over her body before locking on the hand she still had pressed to her neck. "If you did not dress like a harlot, you would not get unnecessary attention."

Kagome could only gawk. How dare he? _How dare he_! She had been subjected to Laito's pervertedness, Ayato's arrogance, Kanato's creepiness and Subaru's attempt to bite her and it was certainly not because of how she was dressed. She didn't have any others clothes! It's not her fault that she had been kidnapped while wearing a nightgown and her wardrobe was back in her closet at home.

She had just puffed out her cheeks, ready to go off on one of her famous rants when Reiji started heading for the door, dismissing her. He did pause in the doorway, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Put the beast back outside," Mamoru growled at the insult from his resting place, "and prepare for dinner.

"I will be by your room to escort you to dinner when it is done. Your best manners and obedience are expected, miko."

Reiji didn't slam the door like she expected. Instead he closed it gently behind him, letting the quiet click fill the empty room. Finally alone, the strength ran out of her limbs and Kagome fell to a puddle on the floor. She stubbornly kept the knife in her hand but her other hand fell away from her neck, too shocked to hold it up any longer. Mamoru finally leaped down from the alcove and nosed the twin marks on her neck. His tongue gently laved her wounds and his cold nose traveled along her neck, his snuffling filling her ear.

Was it bad that Reiji knew what she was now? Yokais had a natural hatred for mikos and often tried to kill them off. These creatures were darker than yokais, their auras were proof of that. They killed for the enjoyment and pleasure, not to survive. So much blood tainted them that she could feel it whenever they were near her. Would they fear her now or would dinner consist of them tearing her apart for their enjoyment? Kagome hugged the knife to her chest at the thought.

'_I am not going to go down without a fight. It's been a peaceful few decades but I'm not soft. I will fight back_.' Kagome thought determinedly.

"This is going to be an interesting dinner," Kagome whispered to Mamoru.

* * *

Hello again my beauties! I updated quicker this time! The reason, a mix of your reviews and countless, sleepless nights where I kept myself occupied by writing, watching More Blood and eating candy (and drinking coffee). Whatcha think of this chapter? Originally, I wanted to write a small part where she gets Mamoru back and the dinner scene for this chapter but things get wild when you don't have the story fully planned out. So, dinner is in the next chapter, where I shall gather all the brothers and a miko and lock them together in a room. I can't wait, I already have some lines planned out!

I'm recently found a translated version of the DiaLovers game and the confusion that comes with it and the later games. I have been using those as references but if I messed up and its blatantly obvious, let me know. It's difficult (for me) since each route seems to reveal a new personality aspect and the later games have some of their personality contradicting themselves. I have to keep all this mind while changing some areas to fit my own storyline. It's overwhelming at times but I'm always willing to correct my mistakes (if I can).

Editing is done by me and roughly at times. So if some areas sound wrong to you or just don't flow, give me a day or two. I always reread my chapters after I post them and I edit them continuously as I find more and more mistakes. It might take me some time but all mistakes will be corrected after some time.

Reviews, I love them. I cherish them. I live for them. As of Chapter Two, I do try to respond back to them. I'm sorry if I missed anyone but I'm not actually on this site much so if I didn't get to you (or I stopped responding to your PMs) it's not you, it's me. _I swear_. I'll try to be better at getting to everyone, so review! Let me know what you think. Ask questions if you have to. Sometimes I give out previews or some fun facts of scenes that didn't make it into the chapter. If you let me know you exist, I will try my hardest to show my gratitude and respond!

Your writing slave (or is it the Sakamaki's slave?)

_-Nightshade_


	4. Chapter Four

**_Chapter Four_**

_Arashi and Kuma stayed with me when I left the pack and their family has taken over my guardianship. Their bloodlines are no longer pure but their unique lineage makes it possible for me to track my journey as I travel the world, waiting for five hundred years to pass. Kage, their many great granddaughter, just gave birth to a single pup, her first and last one. He's quite a howler and he holds a lot of his sire in him with his red coat and long limbs. I think . . . I'll call him Mamoru. My protector, my new friend._

**_-Kagome Higurashi_**

* * *

It was quiet in the Sakamaki manor. The scent of food filled the air and Kagome's stomach grumble loudly in protest, despite her mental stubbornness. Even Mamoru, who was laying comfortably on her new plush bed, had his nose in the air and his tail wagging as he enjoyed the aroma. Kagome would have laughed at the sight if she was not preoccupied with glaring at her new outfits, which were stored within her walk-in closet.

There was a variety of designs but they were all old-fashion or impractical. Half of the dresses seemed to be designed during the victorian age, with too much fluff and an uncomfortable corset. Others were from more recent times but the skirts were super short, the busts cut down too far or sections of it were transparent for some odd reason. With a groan, Kagome slammed the doors shut and stomped over to the dresser, hoping for a miracle.

Her dresser was mainly filled with undergarments, with designs that she would never wear. Push-up bras, lace bras and even bras that looked half formed. The underwear was no different, with most of it being lace, thongs or having a gap in the center. She blushed at the implication of the last one before slamming the drawers closed.

There was no way she was going to wear any of those. She would rather go to dinner in her thin nightgown. However, Reiji seemed dead serious about her dressing properly for dinner. Did she want to tempt the calm vampire's temper? In her experience, the stoic ones were usually the deadliest.

Mamoru's round ears perked up and a soft rumbled echoed through the room. Kagome's blue eyes flickered to him briefly, wondering what was bothering him, as she returned back to the closest to choose the least horrible outfit.

"I hate them all," she groaned out. She was flickering through the victorian gowns, since they covered the most skin.

Mamoru leaped up and with the help of his long legs, he gracefully jumped off the bed. "Mamoru?" Kagome questioned quietly but the mutt was on a mission. He raced by Kagome's side and leaped into the large walk-in closest. Kagome realized his intent a second too late.

Random colors of cloth flew around her in a frenzied windstorm. Kagome reached desperately for her dog but the canine was smart, evading her grip and targeting a new victim. He worked quickly, shredding through them like they were tissue paper. By the time Kagome wrapped her arms firmly around his thick neck, effectively stopping him, the damage was done.

Dresses, skirts and shirts on all design was laying on the floor in a heap of colorful scrap cloth. A few garment were less damaged but they were only hanging onto the hangers by a sleeve. Kagome could hear herself whimpering at the sight, torn between amusement and horror.

Mamoru barked happily, his tail whacking his mistress' side. Unlike her, he didn't see a problem with his actions. Kagome hated the clothes. Their bright colors bothered him too. So, he destroyed them. It solved all their problems.

Well, Kagome had considered going to dinner in her nightgown, mainly to piss off the other vampires, but it seemed she had no choice now. Kagome released Mamoru, believing he could do no more harm and he happily jumped into the pile of clothes he created, amusing himself by attacking the pieces like an energetic puppy.

_'Maybe he's got too much energy stored up.'_

Well, without any outfits, there wasn't much Kagome could do. She decided to leave Mamoru is his creative, messy pile and travel back to the dresser. Her nightgown was thin but it wasn't transparent, so she saw no reason why she couldn't change her underwear and put on a bra. It's not like they would know what she was wearing and she was starting to feel unclean after two days in the same underwear.

She stripped herself of her gown and underwear and quickly changed. She chose a light blue, matching lace pair that hugged her figure nicely. Mamoru emerged unseen from her closet and nosed the lower, open drawer that held the more exotic underwear. Just as Kagome was putting the nightgown back on, she heard a knock on her door.

"We're in trouble now," Kagome whispered to herself.

Mamoru barked loudly, but she couldn't tell if it was in agreement or not. His mischievous golden eyes were still looking over the open drawer. Kagome took a deep breath, focusing on her center and feeling the jewel within. The Shikon no Tama had gone quiet after she was returned to her room, feeling more like a cold dead stone inside her than the familiar, ball of energy. This worried her but it wasn't the first time the jewel had refused to cooperate with her. She walked to the door, grabbing her steak knife from her bed as she passed by.

"It is rude to make your guest linger in the doorway." Reiji's voice scolded from the other side of the closed door.

"Sorry," Kagome replied out of habit.

She opened the door just enough to lean her head out, still angling her body so it was hidden behind the wooden slab. Reiji stood in front of her, a perfect picture of gentlemanly manners. He was wearing the same black suit from before and his eyes wasted no time scanning what he could see of her.

"You're not dressed," he stated darkly.

_'Was she acting that guilty?'_

"It's not my fault," Kagome opened the door and tried to explain. The second the door was open wide enough though, a red blue raced by her. Mamoru pushed his way past Kagome and Reiji and took off down the hall, his claws scraping loudly against the floorboards.

"Traitor!" Kagome yelled angrily after him.

"I thought I stated that the beast was to go back outside." _'That's a clear warning in his tone.'_

"He won't stay outside," Kagome growled back. "He is a guest in this home too." The miko thought that maybe using his own words would appeal to him more but her words had no effect on him.

"You are the guest. He is the beast that gokutsubushi brought into the house." Reiji's hands fisted by his side. "If I see it again, I will put it down."

_'Note to self, Reiji really hates dogs. Mamoru destroying the closet is probably not going to help things.'_

Reiji took a deep breath and buried his anger under a calm facade. "Why is it not your fault that you are not dressed?"

"Um . . . I have no clothes."

"Your closet has been filled with a new wardrobe."

"They are unwearable."

"Nonsense, you are being difficult." Kagome cried out when Reiji pushed passed her, sending her crashing to the floor before she could catch herself. Pain flared in her wrist as she landed awkwardly on it, the steak knife flying out of her loosened grasp to clatter noisily to the floor. Reiji didn't even pause, continuing to stroll across the room to her closet. Kagome did notice that Reiji manage to kick the fallen blade away from her until it slid under the bed.

Kagome winced as she pushed herself back to her feet. Her wrist was throbbing and she could hear Reiji scavenging through her closet, the noises getting more and more agitated.

Finally Reiji reemerged, surprisingly not stomping in anger like she expected but holding what looked like two pieces to a matching outfit. Kagome eyed them wearily, having seen the destruction of the closet herself. Where did he find those?

"Put this on and be quick." Reiji tossed the outfit at her, which she caught out of reflex. "Dinner is waiting."

"Eh?!"

It was _tiny_. Mamoru didn't destroy it probably because he couldn't reach it or he had overlooked it. It was a simple design, just a shirt and a skirt that faintly reminded her of her school outfit. It was mostly white, with patterns of green and black. Kagome spread out the shirt in front of her and felt certain of it. This was a _very_ tiny school girl outfit.

"You want me to wear this?" Kagome asked incredulously.

"It is your negligence of the beast that has resulted in this. That is the only outfit left in the closet and therefore, the outfit you will wear." A gloved finger pushed his glasses back up. "Now strip."

Kagome now clutched the clothing close to her chest while glaring at the older vampire. "Turn around," she stiffly commanded.

"How am I to make sure you are presentable if I can not see you?"

. ~: . V . :~ .

It teased his inner predator to watched her. She was fiery, full of spirit that had yet to be tame but she was innocent too. A blush was painted over her cheeks as she was held the pitiful excuse of an outfit to her chest like a protective charm. Laito was somehow snuck in some of his own desired outfits into the closest when Reiji was unaware and it was unfortunate that it was the only thing the beast hadn't destroyed. Reiji could feel his annoyance growing with her quiet, defiant nature. A proper lady would have been dressed already and not wasting his time.

She was taking too long. Reiji positioned himself behind her, moving with a speed that she could not follow. His disappearance caused her to take a step back, bumping right into his chest. A sound of confusion came from her throat and her muscles tensed in preparation to move away.

Reiji reached out a hand and brushed the thin sleeves of her nightgown down, ignoring her sound of protest. Sometimes a stubborn hand was needed to train a proper pet. The miko had to learn to obey and not question. Because of her refusal to listen to the simple order he gave her, their arrival to dinner was going to be late and their food would be cool.

Kagome spun around, her every move accented with fury. "Stay away from me," she hissed out.

"Get dressed," Reiji calmly commanded.

"I will," her arms crossed themselves in front of her chest, amplifying the generous curves of her breast. "You just need to turn around."

Reiji raised a single eyebrow in incredulousness. "You were not worried about poise earlier. If must repeat myself you will receive a lashing."

A quiet squeak escaped her as she decided to race into the closet and slam the door shut before he acted on his threat. Reiji almost smirked at the sound of a lock engaging before he heard the sound of clothes rustling as she undressed. Reiji knew he was a patient master to allow such defiance from the miko. If he really wanted to, the door would stand no chance against him. He could easily break it down but a brutal show of strength was something his brothers would do, not him. Instead, Reiji would prefer to use the master key he had stored in his coat pocket.

"Reiji," her hesitant voice reached his ears. "I really don't want to wear this."

"You will not attend dinner in a nightgown." Did she not know the manners of a proper lady? Nightgowns were meant only to be worn, or torn off, in a bedroom. To prance around in it like she was doing earlier was disgraceful. Even the hentai outfit that Laito had snuck in would be better than that.

The door cracked open and a single blue eye peeked out. She was nervous. He could hear her heart beating fast underneath her skin, forcing her delectable blood to flow and a thin layer of sweat was forming between her brows. There was a scared, dark light in her eyes that made her look like a rabbit facing a wolf. How accurate.

Slowly, she let the door open more as she attempted to hide behind the cut of wood. For a moment, Reiji wondered how much purity she possessed. She simply possessed muscle and skin, nothing that another woman did not flaunt before him in the past. Was she nervous because of the exposing outfit or was it his presence? He purposely strolled forward, watching in satisfaction as the woman stubbornly stood her ground despite the sweet scent of nervousness that rolled off her.

"I really don-"

Reiji reached out and snagged her arm, forcefully pulling her from behind the door. He would not let her hide in the closet all night long. The time they were wasting was inexcusable. She would learn to obey him, faithfully and silently.

As her soft body slammed into his, he could hear her breath rushing out of her lungs in surprise. The feel of a soft, womanly body against him was not alien but it had been a long time since he had one pressed so intimately pressed against him. Yui had unique blood that they all craved but her body was slim and childlike. Outside of her blood, she had never interested Reiji.

This miko held more of his attention.

He leaned back a little bit so he could eye her outfit while running his gloved hand over her body in the guise of fixing her clothes. He trailed down her virgin neck, imagining the pleasure and the pain she would receive from his bite. He did not linger, moving down to tug on the generous gap that traveled down the center of her chest to make the gap smaller, hiding the blue lace underneath. The white shirt mocked him with its white innocence while it's green and black stitching amplified her breast, cupping them tightly in their hold. Her stomach was displayed between the midriff shirt and the tiny skirt that laid low of her hips, displaying a peek of her blue lace underwear.

Her fingers stretched out and traced some of the silver scars that littered her stomach. One in particular caught his attention as it was more jagged than the others and engulfed her whole hip, half of it hidden beneath the skirt.

Kagome stiffened in his arms once his fingers brushed the larger scar. Her eyes locked with his own and an impressive growl escaped her lips. Reiji almost expected her to display her teeth like the rabid animal she was acting like. She was a beast, unrefined and wild but all beasts could be trained. He should begin her lessons now before she had in her head that she could challenge him.

Instead he chose to pulled the skirt up so it covered the edge of the lace.

Consequently, this pulled up her skirt. The pleated skirt was mainly green with designs of black and white stitching near the hem. It was short, stopping somewhere between her hips and knees but not as indecent as most of the outfits Laito usually picked out. Either Laito had changed his taste to something more challenging, which was unlikely, or he underestimated how short Kagome was. Indeed, now that Reiji looked down at her, she barely came up to his own shoulders.

"It is preferable to the nightgown," Reiji stated.

"I will not wear this!" She protested shrilly.

A gloved hand wrapped itself around her vulnerable throat, stopping the shrill sounds that were escaping her. He felt her tense, the muscles of her throat tightening and her arms falling limp by her side. She didn't move, her gaze wandering off to the side to avoid eye contact with him. It was a strange reaction for a human, one that many didn't even adopt in this current age.

Reiji was a good master however, so he was familiar with all signs of submission, even those that the submissive didn't know she was displaying.

"We are wasting time. You can come peacefully to a dinner, which I have carefully prepared, or I can drag you by the throat to the dining room."

There was a moment of heavy silence. She was too stubborn to submit but Reiji refused to release his grip on her throat, keeping his dominant display. It appeared she was going to outlast him, refusing his order just to spite him when a loud growl erupted from between them.

A light pink blush painted her cheeks as her stomach voiced its displeasure. "I like meat," Kagome mumbled.

. ~: . V . :~ .

He was unpredictable. The way Reiji switched from calm elegance to a dominant predator confused her and left her unsure how to deal with his demeanor. After she had reluctantly agreed to dinner, the classical vampire reverted back to a butler-like attitude. He had taken her arm and tucked it into the crook of his arm and then escorted her to the dining room. The walk was silent, with Reiji not talking and Kagome was still unsure how to treat the vampire and so, she kept quiet.

However, when they entered the dining room, Kagome felt the grip on her elbow tightened and she knew he was displeased. Kagome casted her eyes around, trying to find the source of his anger but nothing seemed strange. There was a long table before them with four chairs on each side and a ninth chair at the head of the table. A wide variety of food was on display.

_'Maybe he's upset because there's two different dish sets?'_ Kagome eyed two dinner sets that were matching while the other seven matched each other but were different from the original two.

Laito, Ayato and Kanato were seated on one side of the table while Shu and Subaru were seated across from them. Shu, who was seated at the end of the table, closest to the head chair, had a suspicious set of black rounded ears peeking up from his right side. Even more unusual, Laito was waving his fork towards Shu, displaying the bit of meat at the end and appearing to try and coax Mamoru towards him.

All eyes turned to them when Reiji and Kagome entered the dining room. Laito let his fork drop to his plate, his feline gaze unreadable. "Reiji, it was rude to not set us a seat," Kanato spoke for everyone.

Kagome winced as Reiji's grip tightened even more. "It is also rude to show up when you were not invited."

Calmly, Reiji escorted Kagome to the two empty seats between Shu and Subaru. Kagome moved to take the seat next to Shu in an attempt to keep Reiji was noticing Mamoru hiding next to the eldest son. Reiji sat besides her, his gloved hand still resting on her elbow as his gaze swept over his siblings. Kagome could taste the tension in the air.

The triplets reached for the surrounding food at the same time, uncaring to the glare that Reiji was trying to burn them with. The dinner room was suddenly filled with the sound of talking, dishes exchanging hands and the noisy chewing of food being devoured, all of it mostly done by the triplets. Kagome couldn't help but to smile at the familiar sound.

She patiently waited her turn but the food did not come near her. Shu was dozing, so nobody handed him the food dishes and Reiji had yet to grab any of the other dishes, his glare intensifying when someone attempted to hand him a dish. He seemed very unhappy with the situation.

"Hato, are you hungry?" Bright green eyes were pinned on her. "If so, just take some."

Permission granted, Kagome reached forward to grab a large bowl. Inside was a fancy form of pasta which smelled divine. She eagerly scooped some out to noodles and laid it on her plate. She took a quick bite and then reached for a roll of bread, humming her appreciate for the flavor.

It wasn't until she was halfway done with her first savory plate that she remember where she was. She glanced up from her plate to see six pairs of eyes watching, seemingly unsure what to say or do. Self-consciously Kagome raised her napkin to wipe off some sauce she felt on her cheek.

"You have unsightly manners."

Kagome raised an eyebrow in disbelief. This was coming from the vampire who threw her to the floor, made her wear a provocation outfit to dinner and refused to pass the dinner dishes like a proper gentleman. It seemed very hypocritical of him to judge her.

Her look of disbelief must have been amusing because Kanato started to giggle to himself.

"Really? You are going to judge me when yo-"

"I see you like the clothes I have designed." Laito was quick to interrupt her.

"I do not," Kagome's temper was quick to turn to the perverted triplet. "I wouldn't be wearing it if it wasn't for him," Kagome jabbed her fork in Reiji's direction.

Reiji was quick to grab the offending wrist and slam it down onto the table. Kagome cried out simultaneously with the loud clash of surrounding tableware. Chairs were thrown to the floor as Subaru and Ayato jumped to their feet. Even through the pristine gloves, Kagome could feel Reiji's fingers digging deep into the soft underside of her wrist, sending shots of pain through her whole arm.

"There is a nerve that runs through here," Kagome cried out as he dug his fingers even deeper, just on the verge of tearing her skin. "If I damage it, you will experience weakness in your forearm along with being unable to move your thumb, index and middle finger. Your hand could possibly be stuck with the same shape as a ape, so your appearance will reflect the uncultured beast inside."

"Reiji, let her go," Subaru growled out.

"Do remember your manners next time."

The miko whimpered as she yanked her hand back, leaving her fork behind in her hurry. Tingles raced through her arm as blood circulation resumed and Kagome tensed when she saw the younger four brothers eying her wrist. She cradled it to her chest and tried to search for the familiar warmth of the jewel activating to her pain but there was none.

Laito leaned forward and placed his chin the palm of his hand. He wasn't quite smiling, the miko would call it more of a smirk, but both fangs were displayed. "And what about the lace?"

There was a horrifying, quiet moment that Kagome looked down at herself, expecting to see the edge of her bra on display or the edge of her panties. However, everything was still covered, making her undergarment invisible. Ayato started laughing at her reaction, his own hand slamming down on the tabletop. Kagome looked up just in time to see Laito holding back his own giggles to continuing what he was saying.

"If I had known the dog would bring such gifts, I would have made friends with him before Shu."

She was confused. She turned to look at Shu, who would appear to be sleeping if not for his hand rubbing one of Mamoru's visible ear. Mamoru had moved his large head so it laid in Shu's lap, his chin hiding something underneath. Kagome's horrified gasp was amplified in the suddenly quiet room as she reached a hand out to grab the red lace underwear that Mamoru was hiding.

Before she could make contact with the mutt, Shu moved his arm to reach for the glass by his still empty plate. The maneuver was enough to freeze Kagome, unprepared for the movement but his extended left arm also served the purpose of blocking her path to Mamoru.

A pair of playful golden eye teased her from the safe presence of the eldest vampire. Kagome bared her teeth at him, communicating silently with the wolf hybrid that he was in trouble. _'How dare he take something like that and give it to one of my captors?'_

Mamoru gave a cheeky grin and Kagome could hear his tail thumping on the floor. His ancestors had been mischievous too but Mamoru seem determined to set a new record. Shu, still feigning sleep, looked too pleased with himself too and Kagome noticed how his long pinky seemed to caress the material. _'They're all perverts.'_

"Your heartbeat is loud," Shu complained as he brought the glass of red wine to his lips.

"I _am_ human," the miko stated rudely.

Kanato slammed his fork into the table with enough force to dig it deep into the wood. His head was tilted forward so his purple locks covered one crazed eye and a twisted grin was stretched across his lips. He appeared amused but the dark look in his eyes turned his appearance into a manic expression.

"Kanato," Reiji's glove tightened around his own fork though Kagome was unsure if he was upset at the triplet's outburst or the improper use of a fork.

"Sorry," Kanato growled out, "but I hate liars. Humans can't hurt vampires or heal themselves."

Kagome stiffened at Kanato's casual mentioning of her healing. Reiji and Subaru were now eying her, their gaze lingering on her previously bruised throat and even Shu had opened an eye to look at her. Reiji looked away first, exhaling through his nose and bringing both of his gloved hands to rest in his lap.

"The light she wields was previously known as reiki and is said to be a healing energy that comes from one's life force energy. I can not find any records of it being an offensive attack like she has displayed but it would explain the healing capability you were shown." Kagome found it strange that Reiji did not question the triplet but took Kanato's word on the event. The young miko also did not like how much knowledge he had gained within a night.

Shu now had both eyes open and was gazing at her curiously. "Only one female species could wield reiki successfully."

Kagome yelped as she felt a presence behind her. She tried to jump up, her instincts demanding she fight or flight but she only managed to stand up from her chair before she was attacked. Ayato was quick to lean over her and slam both of her wrists to the table, keeping her immobile between an unmovable vampire and the table. He rested his chin on her right shoulder, his breath sending shivers down her spine as it washed over her ear and she was hyperaware of his whole body draped over her own. Kagome could feel his excitement racing through his body but she was unsure what kind of '_excitement_' he was feeling.

A single fang nipped at her earlobe. "Miko."

She had everyone's attention now. While the others may not have understood at first what the two eldest were hinting at, once Ayato had voiced it, they all understood. It was like she had just turned into the greatest prize for all of them. Even Subaru, who was the most distant of the brothers was leaning forward in his seat towards her.

"And I thought he had hunted them all down." Laito mused to himself. "It's only fitting his sons get the last one."

"She's going to make the prettiest doll out of my collection."

"Aren't mikos suppose to be virgins? That means she's untouched and pure."

There was a distant hum from Shu, who voiced his opinion in his own way.

"That's explains her blood."

"For a pure being her behavior is crude."

"Yours Truly wants a bite." Once again she felt the sharp point of fangs lingering on her neck.

Kagome started to panic when she realized the Shikon no Tama was not activating. There was no familiar ball of warmth or electric sparks racing in her veins. Instead it chose to be dead and silent, leaving her to the mercy of the vampires.

Stop!" Kagome jerked her body to the side, away from the sharp points. "Enough!" She protested when he pursued her.

The room exploded with movement. Laito reached across the table to grab one of her restraint wrist and pull her forward so he could press his lips to the soft skin underneath. Kagome, who was previously bent over the table was now laying across it. She could feel the sharp edges of the dishes digging into her exposed skin and pressing against her clothes. Mamoru yelped as Shu grabbed his scruff, keeping the mutt in place and from defending Kagome.

"I just want a closer look," Kanato protested.

Kagome struggled as much as she could against the two vampires. In the back of the room she could catch glimpses of Subaru, who had a grip of Kanato and was keeping him away from the table. She thrashed around desperately but the two red haired triplets fearlessly pressed on. Her hands scrambled across the table, rattling dishes as she tried to find something to fight with. The jagged edges of a steak knife pressed against her palm and she grabbed it firmly, ignoring the way the blade seamlessly cut her flesh.

At the same time she felt a bare hand stroke the flesh of her side. Goosebumps traitorously trailed after the strange touch, sending the tiniest jolt of pleasure through her while her pained hand seem to ravage her mind. She could feel Ayato's chest rumbling, sensing her own conflicting emotions.

. ~: . V . :~ .

It was rapidly falling out of control. His brothers were determined to feed tonight and from the amount of agitation they had been displaying, they needed to feed and soon. Kagome was the new sacrificial bride, therefore that job fell on her. As long as they did not provide permanent damage to her or kill her, none of the brothers had the right to interrupt a feeding session.

To even attempt to separate a vampire from a bride he was feeding on was dangerous and lead to unnecessary, painful fights.

None of them were prepared for the scent of her blood and the tiniest, barest whiff of arousal. It was dark, heady, pleasant and exhilarating. Subaru had his hand wrapped around Kanato's arm, keeping the most unstable of the vampires away from the struggle going on at the table. It would not be the first time Kanato had accidentally killed a bride during a struggle and Subaru did not want to take that risk with their newest bride.

However, there was no stopping Kanato once the scent of her blood and arousal filled the room. The youngest appearing brother ripped himself free of the actual youngest's grip and darted forward. Subaru knew he should pursue him but his feet could not move. Her scent had him stuck in place, hypnotizing him like a cobra's dance.

There was no electricity in the air or strange pink light at her fingertips. She was mortal for the second, as plain as the dozens of brides before her with her future looking the same. Only Reiji and Shu had the hereditary stance to stop the triplets but neither of them seemed inclined to help their new bride.

Subaru didn't care for the girl but she did intrigue him. Her broken cries had first drawn him to her, reminding him of only woman he had failed to protect. He didn't know why this woman was different and honestly, he didn't care to analyze it. It was very rare for him to want a bride and this was one bride he was determine to not lose to his older brothers.

The only way to save his potential bride was to entice Reiji or Shu into action. They were the only ones that the triplets would, reluctantly, listen too. So Subaru did the only thing he could think of.

The sound of a crystal glass smashing into a far wall was unbearably loud.

Everyone froze in fear and five pairs of eyes shifted to Reiji. The bespectacled brother was eying the large crimson spot that stained the far wall and the pieces of shattered glass that littered the carpet below it. Subaru's hand dripped some of the precious liquid, evidence of his guilt and he knew was going to pay for that later. Despite appearances, the red liquid in the glass was not red wine but fresh blood and blood stained deeper than wine. All of his brothers seemed stunned that Subaru would pull such a desperate measure.

"Why have you destroy a crystal wine glass?" Reiji's voice was calm. _'Too calm.'_

Subaru stubbornly stayed quiet, knowing he would be unable to defend himself. Kagome was still pinned to the table, tears leaking from large blue eyes. She was looking at him like he was her own hero. _'What an idiot.'_

"Do you have no defense for your actions?"

Silence.

"Ne, Subaru. Were you jealous that you weren't going to get a bite?" Laito peeked up from under his fedora with an enticing smile. "I'm willing to share."

Subaru made a noise of disgust. "Hentai," he growled out. It truly disgust him how much Laito whored himself out and how he was always willing to share his prey. It was no secret that he and Ayato shared everything but Subaru was not going to share with him. His inner predator did not trust his brother and his morals were disgusted at the mere thought.

"She's really sweet," Kanato murmured to himself.

"I think dinner is finished," Reiji calmly pushed himself to his feet. Immediately the triplets released their grip on their prey. Kagome let out a single sob and pushed herself up. While the triplets gave Reiji room, their survival instincts sensing the suppressed anger beneath, Kagome met his anger with her own temper. They all watched in amazement as Kagome twirled on her heel and swung out her hand.

_Smack_! A bright red mark marred Reiji's cheek as her hand connected with more strength than they expected.

"How fucking dare you pretend to be a gentleman but not move to stop that," she spat out.

"Feisty," Ayato purred.

A fierce growl came from their youngest appearing brother. Kanato flashed his fangs at Ayato, staking an unmistakable claim. It was not uncommon for Kanato to claim a bride, he did have a vast collection underground, but the intensity of the claim surprised most of the brothers. This night was just one unpleasant astonishment after another.

"The dining room is not an acceptable place for drama." Subaru tensed at the tone of his voice and the way Reiji's eyes flickered to him with promise of punishment.

"What the hell do you call that, then?" Kagome gestured to the surrounding brothers. "Or am I part of the main course now?"

"You do not understand your place. I did not think I would have to explain it to you but I am clearly mistaken. If any of us want you on the dinner table as a main course, you, as our walking blood bag, have no right to fight us."

The room fell quiet as they watched a furious, scared miko face off against a dangerous predator. The excitement and tense atmosphere was wrecking havoc on their nerves. Faint hisses could be heard and everyone was tense, though it was unsure if they were going to tear her apart or each other. The only one who seemed not to care was Shu but the eldest son was still holding tightly to the mutt's scruff, keeping the dog in place. In his own uncaring way, he was adding to the atmosphere.

Unexpectedly, the miko started to chuckle. The vampires watched as her attitude changed, becoming less tense and more seductive. She drifted forward, each step precisely measured to catch their attention. The smile was playful, the glow in her eyes was dark and her stance screamed for submission. She moved until she was nearly chest-to-chest with Reiji and glared at the taller male.

"Do you think you're the first who think they can dominate me?" She was whispering but her eyes flickered around the room, knowing that the others could hear her. "I have walked this land far longer than you have and no one has gained my submission yet."

There was a muffled bark of agreement.

Ayato sensed it seconds before the rest of them. He leaped to his feet, words of warning on the tip of his tongue but they never made it past his lips. There was a large flash of pink, and her mysterious reiki rushed forward like a broken dam, filling the room endlessly.

Hisses, roars, moans and more tableware breaking filled the room.

The agony was unlike anything Subaru had experienced before. Even the injury he had received on her first night in the house felt like a small shock compared to this. Reiji had said that reiki comes from her life energy and in this attack, Subaru could feel the emotions of her energy.

Frustration was the strongest. Sadness. Despair. Resistance. Anger. The small purple streaks carried the strongest of the dark emotions. The attack felt like it lasted for hours, tearing apart his insides and ravaging Subaru's mind. In reality, it only lasted a few seconds before it died down.

Sometime during the attack, Subaru ended up on the floor but after glancing around, he found that he wasn't the only one. Only Reiji and Ayato were still standing tall, though they were panting heavily. Ayato had somehow moved himself so he was behind Kagome, his hands gripping both of her hips painfully, tugging her back until she was flush against him. Reiji had his gloved hand around her throat, mercilessly cutting off the miko's air supply. She thrashed uselessly around, trying to get air into her lungs.

"You need a lashing," Reiji growled out.

"You will not mar my doll," Kanato appeared behind Reiji.

"Yours Truly will punish her as needed. She's my food source."

"Even though you have not yet tasted her?" Kanato snapped back.

Neither of the arguing trio seemed to notice that Kagome had finally fainted. She was hanging limp from Reiji's hand, like a marionette with its strings cut. The situation was rapidly getting out of control, _again_. Everyone knew that Reiji was not one to be messed with. They all knew the pain of his punishments and the signs that lead to him losing his temper.

He had a rigid posture paired with the muscles of his jaw tensing. His free hand was staying near his lower jacket pocket, where he always kept his riding crop. He was looking down at everyone too, not bothering to adjust his glasses when they slid down an inch. The signs were small but they were there. Many of the brides had succumbed to their deaths because of Reiji's punishments.

"She hasn't chosen any of us," Shu's tired voice attracted all of their attention. "By law, none of us have the right to punish her yet. It is as she said, she has not submitted."

"We don't have the right to kill her is that man's rules," Laito corrected.

There was a moment of silence. Subaru knew that Shu was aware of the difference and he had worded his sentence that way purposely. Loss of control was unacceptable to the sons of '_that man_'. He was not afraid to punish them, again, if they broke that one simple rule, even if it was accidentally.

Slowly, Reiji loosened his fingers and Kagome's limp body slumped further back into Ayato's chest. The silence was louder than any of the disturbances they had been subjected to today. Reiji turned his icy crimson gaze to the fainted woman.

"She will need stricter discipline. Tomorrow she will be moved to my room."

"Like hell." Ayato moved her limp body so his arm was across her back and under her legs. "You'll break her." With a small heave, he was now carrying their bride, bridal style.

"If that is what is required."

"If you break toys you can't have fun with them anymore." Kanato protested.

"Hato will stay with me if she needs a new room." Laito moved to stand by Ayato. His predatory gaze was lingering on her breasts. "I can keep her busy."

Subaru could feel himself losing his temper. They were all ready to claim her but obviously, she belonged to him. It was her screams that caught his attention. He was the one to carry her into the manor and she had claimed himself herself when she had drawn his blood with the knife. By vampiric laws, they were the tightest bonded pair in the manor and they all knew that. The others were just choosing to ignore this rule.

"Physical pain will not break her." Subaru knew he needed to keep Kagome away from Reiji and Kanato. Those two were responsible for most of their sacrificial brides' deaths. His eyes were lingering on the scars that her outfit displayed and the others followed his gaze. "She is not like the other brides."

"Tsh. We knew that already." Ayato's grip tightened around Kagome, causing her to whimper even though she was still unconscious.

"What are we going to do about school?" Kanato's attention was now focused on picking at the tabletop clothe. "We can't leave her alone but she'll try and play another unfair game with us if we take her to school."

"I don't have her transfer records," Shu spoke up. "There is a problem with her medical records."

Reiji glanced at the eldest brother, his scowl demanding explanation.

Shu didn't bother to answer. They could hear his music from his headphones, the eerie tone reflecting their current moods. Subaru had to resist the urge to yank the headphones out so Shu would pay attention to them. He had made that mistake once when they were much younger and he still experienced ghost pains in his shoulder from it.

"What is wrong with her?" Kanato demanded loudly.

"Physically, there is nothing wrong with her," Shu finally explained. "Her records indicate several serious illnesses though and some fictional diseases. There is an investigation currently."

Subaru watched as Reiji incredibly stiffened even more. The youngest didn't blame him. After all, an investigation complicated things, especially if they were going to be searching for their new bride. If she proved too problematic, they would be forced to eliminate the problem.

"We can stage her disappearance," Subaru suggested.

It wasn't a wild idea but everyone's eyes widened slightly at the suggestion. No, it wasn't the most unthinkable solution but it was a new idea for them. The Sakamaki brothers had never staged a disappearance before. The church normally took care of those details and when they hunted, they didn't care what happened to the corpses after they were found. To make a person disappear from all records would be difficult, but not impossible.

"That sounds like the start of a bad story," Ayato griped.

There were hums of agreement from his full-blooded brothers.

"You're being so noisy," complained Shu. He looked like he wanted to leave but the eldest brother was still holding Mamoru down and the dog looked ready to murder them all when he was finally released. "Can we leave yet?"

"Dinner is ruined so you are all dismissed. The miko will be restricted to her room until tomorrow night."

. ~: . V . :~ .

It was amusing how they fought each other just to touch her. Despite being dismissed, it took several more minutes for the brothers to even leave the dining room. They wanted to be the ones to take her back to her room. Somehow the unconscious miko exchanged hands several times and yet, she ended up in Kanato's arms. His grip on her was far too tight, the others could see bruises forming on her arms from his unyielding hold but the sight only pleased him more.

To everyone's surprise, Shu did not follow Kanato to deposit the mutt in her room but chose to stay behind with Reiji.

Once Kanato had left the dining room, with his triplets trailing behind him possessively, Mamoru had settled down. His aggressive stance had loosened and he seemed comfortable despite Shu's oppressive grip on his scruff. Reiji growled with displeasure when Shu finally did leave the dining room, passing by his younger brother on the way out, with the mutt trailing loyally behind the eldest.

They all retired to their individual rooms. With sunrise close, their nocturnal nature pulled at their minds to sleep. The house fell into a grim silence as its occupants prepared to slumber.

As dawn bathed its glow over the sky, the light chasing away the night and stars, the first scream shattered the air.

. ~: . V . :~ .

They were watching her, judging her for her weakness. She tried to escape them but the bodies continued to grow. A monk, who died of a broken heart because of her failure. A demon slayer, who died innocently in childbirth because she was naive. A hanyou and kitsune, both of whom died to defend her though at different times in her past. For once, she could see them clearly, broken and bloodied around her. Beautiful golden eyes which were glazed over in death. A fox with limbs torn apart. A mother and child, both still holding each other even in death. A monk with ink staining his palms, the eldest and the one who went the most peacefully.

She knew them but not their names or history. Those memories were long gone, one of the first to be destroyed because of her immortality.

She fearlessly reached out and brushed her palm against one of the bloody tails of the kitsune. Her palm was stained crimson when she pulled away, wet with the life of those who had long ago died. Her heart ached at the sight.

"I'm sorry."_ 'I'm sorry for forgetting. Was it my fault? Do you blame me?'_

The bodies changed, becoming a pack of ookamis. Some of them slain on the floor while the survivors were judging her, shouting at her for the havoc she caused. It was her fault that their alpha was dead. It was her fault their species was dying. She was a target, a danger to them all.

She raced away from them, some of the more vicious ones snapping at her heels. By her side, the two wolves who use to belong to the alpha, now followed the last treasure their leader had. Her two new companions tried to fend the pack off but two wolves were a pitiful force against them. Their dying cries taunted her as the pack pounced on her. Teeth. Blood. Claws. Blood. Skin ripping. Screams echoing. Blood dripping. Agony all around.

_'This is wrong! This isn't how it happened!'_

A strong, inhumane grip suddenly wrapped around her throat. The spider's laughter increased as she struggled to breath. She needed air but her capture refused to give it to her. She thrashed helplessly around in Naraku's grip, his maroon colored eyes watching her struggle.

"If not me then someone else will come for you. The jewel requires two sides." His fingers loosened just enough for the wounded miko to gasp desperately. Air quickly entered her lungs but she soon found it cut off as the spider hanyou forced a kiss on her.

"Fuck, she's not breathing!"

His lips slammed down on her own, all obsession and no love. His lips forcefully pried hers apart and his tongue thrusted into her mouth. It explored, concurred and dominated her oral cavity, giving her no chance to fight back. The miko struggled to breath past the dark kiss but he wouldn't relent, stealing her breath before it could help her.

"I love that breathless look on her face."

"Wake her _up_!"

She could feel her heart stuttering, struggling to beat each time. Kagome knew it should be painful, she was dying, but she felt no pain or fear. Only emptiness. She knew she couldn't die. She was immortal, the useless fucking jewel made sure of that. Very little could kill her, she knows as almost everything imaginable had been inflicted on her at one point or another. Naraku faded away as her heart struggled to beat but the the world around her was now pitch black and no less suffocating.

The black air was clogging her throat, lungs and nose. It was like a living thing, curling and withering inside her. Was it caressing her insides? Molesting the organs it could touch? It didn't feel like there was a difference to her. She just wanted to breath! Again, she desperately tried to breath past the unseen blockage.

"Don't ignored Yours Truly!"

Someone was touching her. It was skin, not fur, and that terrified her more than being unable to breath. She cried out and struggled to move away but more hands appeared. One? Four? Six? Why did they keep multiplying? They were pinning her down, keeping her from fighting back. There was a weight constantly pounding on her chest, forcing her heart to beat whenever it faltered.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" The pounding on her chest faltered slightly.

"Changing the dream."

Suddenly her darkness had an invisible form. Naraku was gone but she could once again feel the touch of an embrace. At his unseeable touch, the mass of darkness in her throat thinned out. She was left alone in the darkness with only her phantom guest who knew no personal boundaries. Hands were caressing her side, lingering near her ribs before traveling upwards and stopping at the curve of her lower breasts. Kagome arched into the touch, a noise of confusion coming from her lips.

Her nightmares had never changed so rapidly before. Indeed, she never even had dreams like this before. She was careful to stay away from potential lovers seeing as she would outlive them and she couldn't bring herself to just sleep around with random strangers. Since her dreams were typically memories, and she knew she didn't have a memory like this, she had to wonder why she was suddenly dreaming like this? And why did she grow excited when the phantom's fingers grew bolder, stretching as far as they could until he was gently holding her breasts.

Several loud growls echoed through her dream.

Lips pressed against her own but unlike Naraku, this kiss was gentle, almost lazy in nature. Her phantom lover didn't press against her or demand submission. Instead his cold lips simply rested on her own, breathing against her. Unconsciously, Kagome felt herself mimicking his breathing, still hyperaware of the hands on her breasts and the fingers stroking her skin. She breathed in, when he breathed out. Out, when he breathed in. For a few seconds, they were one being, sharing one breath and the panic she was feeling earlier subsided with each exhale and each caress. Instead, desire began to take the place of her fear. Why wasn't he kissing her more deeply? This was her dream and she wanted him to _kiss_ her instead of leaving her on edge like this.

"Hato is so responsive in her sleep."

His fingers twitched, flicking the tip of her nipples. When had her dream stripped her of her clothes? Another twitch, another jolt of pleasure and a moan slipped from her lips. Kagome never knew she was so sensitive. Maybe it was the years of self isolation?

At the sound of her moan, the touches stopped. The strange lips pulled back, leaving her to breath on her own. In, out. In, out. His left hand gently trailed down, over her chest, down her ribs and pausing slightly to stoke her hip. Kagome knew where it was heading next and she could feel herself becoming excited, wanting to feel his touch between her legs. Before he could make contact however, both of his hands were viciously ripped away and the touch of her invisible guest's hands was gone. She tried to move after him and she was then reminded of the other hands anchoring her wrist and ankles in place.

Wait, was she standing up or laying down? It was hard to tell surrounded by only mist and darkness. Alone, she no longer liked this dream. She struggled against her bonds, a low growl of warning escaping her. She wanted free of this dream, _now_.

Reality came crashing down around her as her eyes opened. She took one glance around to see six different people in her room. Six males. Six male vampires, four of which were holding her down while a fifth was sprawling by her side. It was obvious he had been pushed aside by one of the others. His sleepy cobalt eyes stared up at her, his face slack and unreadable. It was simply instincts that her powers flared to life.

The five vampires disappeared from her bedside, only to reappear by Reiji, who was at the back of her room, close to the door and out of range of her powers. Her mind was still muddled, stuck somewhere between dreams and reality. In her sleep addled mind, acceptance was the easiest thing to do until she could sort through everything later.

There were six vampires in her room. _Accepted_.

Mamoru was not in her room. Rare but not unheard of. _Accepted_

She was still sleepy and wanted to go back to her dream. _Accepted_.

The second half of her dream was extremely pleasurable and she wanted to return to it. _Accepted_.

"Get out," she hissed out.

Ayato looked ready to protest but when he opened his mouth, he quickly snapped it shut. The six vampires were breathing deeply, their fangs slightly bared and all of their pupils were dilated. None of them seem inclined to listen to her.

"I said, get out." Reiki snapped out, literally adding power to her words.

They didn't retreat, keeping out of range and looking conflicted. When Kagome's powers died down, Kanato and Laito even took a daring step forward. Ayato reached out to grip Laito, halting his advances while Subaru grabbed Kanato's arm, pulling the lolita looking boy to a harsh stop.

Reiji's heavy aura seeped into the air, weighing down on those around him. Kagome shivered at the feel of it but honestly, she didn't care. "Perhaps there is a concoction that I can brew for your nightmares." Reiji's garnet gaze swept over his brothers and the next second, the other five were gone.

"There is no need," Kagome brushed off his words by wrapping the thick blanket around her and snuggling deeper into her mattress. "Now go away." She just wanted to go back to sleep.

Kagome could hear the distinct sound of a glove creaking as a hand clenched together. "You were not breathing," he stated simply.

"I can not die," Kagome's fuzzy brain stated the words before she could consider them. '_Shit_.' She never consider how they would react to her being immortal. '_Did vampires even age?'_

Silence was the only answer she received. Frighteningly curious on how the prestige vampire took the news, Kagome found herself lifting her head up so she could glance over her shoulder towards him. However, Reiji was gone, leaving an empty room in his wake. A second later, an lock engaged from the other side of the room, trapping her within.

Kagome gave a long, drawn-out groan and buried her head into one of the nearby fluffy pillows. To be honest, she wasn't completely sure that she was even awake right now and this wasn't some, twisted extension of her previous dream. If it was, it was a disappointed. If not, she was going to raise hell over that lock . . . later. After she got more sleep.

She gave one last sigh before succumbing to sleep once again. She fell into slumber hoping she would face her phantom lover rather than one of her haunting memories.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Of the three brothers, it was no surprise that the triplets were the closest. Since the death of Yui, they had grown even closer. Instead of separating or ignoring each other, it wasn't uncommon to find the triplets in the same room, doing separate things but staying within each other's presence. They were not as close as they had been when they were children but slowly, their family ties were healing. They had even managed to appear simultaneously in Kagome's room together after they had heard her nightmare and the effect it was having on her heart, from different areas of the manor. Even now, after Reiji's presence had chased them away, they were still together, camped out in the hallway.

They gave Reiji enough distance to soothe his suddenly hostile, possessive instincts but it was still close enough for them to bask in their bride's presence.

The smell of her arousal was slowly seeping from her room and filling the hallway. It was sweet like candy, yet dark with a sharp edge. It excited all of them at the same time as making them wary. Everything about it drew them in while trying to repel them.

"I want a taste," Laito whimpered quietly and from the scent of his own arousal, he was not speaking about her blood.

The other two ignored their nymphomaniac brother, already use to his wants and needs. Ayato and Kanato couldn't blame him either as her scent had all of them throbbing with want. Reiji's sharp aura and lingering presence was the only thing keeping the family of vampires from forcefully taking her.

They craved her and wanted her. Their very nature cried out to destroy her. They wanted to rip her throat open and watch the blood flow. To drink every drop so her presence would linger inside them. They wanted her to cry, to plead and to beg. In pleasure, in pain, it made no difference. They were made to destroy and they wanted to destroy everything about the poor miko until her world consist of only them.

Down the hall, the sound of a fist smashing into a wall could be heard. Subaru was never good at controlling his more destructive instincts.

Kanato's head tilted to the side as a strange thought filtered through his mind. He knew the others desired his doll. The whole household seemed to be competing to win her blood and body. He found that while he wanted his doll and he wanted her to know she belonged to him, he didn't find the thought of the others touching her exactly displeasing. Not as long as they knew she belonged to him.

Dolls and toys were often passed around from child to child and it never bothered him before because he knew the toy belonged to him and would return to him when he demanded it.

He glanced at his nearly identical brothers. Ayato was intensely focused on the door further down the hall that lead to Kagome's room. Reiji had left but he had locked the door from the outside, keeping their bride caged within. He looked ready to storm in there and take Kanato's doll. Too bad, if that happened, Kanato would be forced to painfully stop him. Nobody could touch her until she knew she belonged to him.

Laito seem to notice Kanato's curious gaze and turned towards him. He didn't say anything, just raising an eyebrow in question but the slight movement was enough to prompt Kanato to talk. "How do you share a woman?"

Kanato watched as light pink brushed across Laito's cheek. Kanato was unsure why he was blushing. Arousal? Embarrassment? Joy? It was sometimes difficult to tell with Laito. By his side, Ayato's head had tilted towards them, the main focus of his attention still on the door further down.

"Now Kanato, I know you've had the pleasure of a woman," Laito lightly teased.

Kanato frowned. Of course he wasn't a virgin. Despite his younger appearance he still had woman approach him. This made hunting easy but it also made it easy to entice a woman into his bed if he craved a different release. He was not a child and the Sakamaki brothers knew this very well.

"That wasn't my question," Kanato pointed out angrily.

"Of course it's not, baka," Ayato drawled out, "but it gets the basic down. Just add another guy. It's called a threesome, look it up." Kanato was now wondering if his brothers were trying to avoid this conversation with him. "Or an orgy," Laito added in excitedly.

Kanato growled and again he wished he had Teddy to hold and talk to. At least Teddy wouldn't treat him like a child and would listen to him. "How do you share a woman with another vampire?"

That brought a thoughtful look to both of their faces. Kanato knew it wasn't so simple when your partner was a vampire. Instincts demanded that the strongest male dominate, even in the bedroom, and a potential kill could never be shared. It honestly confused the other family members how Ayato and Laito were able to do such a thing.

Ayato answered with a shrug. "We're not attracted to each other." Kanato was not surprised to see that Laito neither agreed or disagreed with Ayato. "And it's not always easy. We've snapped at each other at times and the first time, we were like virgins again. We tore her apart trying to keep our kill from each other."

Laito took off his hat and ran his fingers through his longer locks. "It's easier if you feed together." With a sigh, Laito replaced his fedora. "That's how Ayato and I keep the trust strong. It takes time . . . and practice."

There was a moment of silence as Kanato mulled their words over. It made sense that it would take time and practice. With all of their possessive instincts, it was more likely that they would tear her or each other apart than actually share. Maybe sharing his doll was a bad idea. He didn't want to risk shattering her over a squabble. He would rather break her, piece by piece, by himself.

"Why, dear brother, are you consider _sharing_," Laito purposely drew out the word, "Hato?"

Looking at the lustful harlequin green eyes, Kanato knew it was a mistake. It was a stupid idea, only thought up because of the delicious smell of arousal that teased his lustful mind. Kanato frowned at his two brothers, his displeasure clear.

"Of course not. She's _my_ doll."

* * *

I thought this chapter would _never_ get done! Let me tell you a secret, this went nothing like I had originally planned. I had the dinner scene all planned out nice and neat but my muse and I decided to start another war over it. She refused to work with me unless I did it her way and I need her so this chapter was rewritten eight times (I know, I counted them all). I'm not completely happy with it but maybe that's because I've read and rewritten it so many times. Let me know what you think.

While writing this I learned that Reiji can be demanding in my head, Shu is as perverted as Laito later on in the games, and I may not hate Kanato as much as I first thought (or my muse doesn't at least). Starting the next chapter we are heading deeper into the '**M**'ature rating so be excited (or scared).

Reviews, I love them. I try to respond to as many as I can in my free time. I do answer questions (though I try to avoid spoilers) and in general, I reply back just to let you know I love your reviews and appreciate the time you took to review.

Now I'm simply curious. Who is your favorite Sakamaki brother?

-_Nightshade_


	5. Chapter Five

_Disclaimer &amp; Warning_

I do not own any of the characters or either anime/mange/game. The basic storyline and characters were already created. Diabolic Lovers is the property of Rejet and Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. Unfortunately, nothing has changed from Chapter One is terms of ownership, so I'm only borrowing them. Editing is done by me so I do own all mistakes. Let me know if you find one and I'll fix it.

As I have forewarned, characters may seem OOC, especially in this chapter. Sexual content, trigger warning (wrist slicing) and adult language can be found. This is only going to get worse (or better, depends on your viewpoint) as the story continues. Consent (or lack of) is also touched on in this chapter. If you're from the DiaLovers fandom, you know what you're getting into. If you're not, I would suggest getting familiar with it before continuing this story. This is the first, and last time, this warning for content will appear.

* * *

_Chapter Four_

Emotions dull after time. If the mind is exposed to one stimuli continuously with no break, the human mind adjusts to said stimuli. If you feel happiness forever, happiness ceases to have meaning or to affect you. If you feel pain, the human mind will adjust its pain tolerance levels, accepting what it is feeling, therefore leaving you numb. It is the same with all emotions. When one lives forever, will not emotions dull after time? And those emotions which you are not exposed to, will they not surprise you when they suddenly reemerge?

_-Unsigned_

* * *

She was too troublesome. Her scent, which had been appealing at first was now a reminder of the chaos she had brought. All of his younger siblings wanted her. They were prepared to fight for her too. At times, they nearly turned on each other like a pack of rabid dogs.

She was too bothersome.

The taste of her on his lips refused to leave his mind though. Her sweet sighs were better than any composer he listened to. Her scent consumed his thoughts and made his fangs ache. She was bothersome and he wanted nothing to do with another mortal but she haunted him.

Shu was roused from his sleep near midday. His music was still playing, a soft melody haunting his sleep but outside the comfortable realm of his isolation, he could hear an unusual banging. There was no rhythm or reason for the racket. It seemed to existence only to annoy him.

For three hours he was aware of this unusual pounding. Even if he tried to tune it out, his vampiric mind monitored the sound, registering it as odd and possibly threatening. It was horrible and ruined all of his music. It didn't matter what composer he played or what style they played, that woman seemed insistent on ruining them all.

At the peek of the fourth hour, he could stand it no longer. Despite his desired to forget about her and the sleepy haze over his nocturnal mind, he roused himself from his comfortable bed. The dog, which was sleeping in the corner of his room, watched his exit with suspicion, but didn't stop the eldest vampire from disappearing and appearing in front of her door.

Shu was leaning against the wall across from her door, his appearance silent. Yet, her senseless pounding paused when his bare feet brushed the carpet outside, as if she knew he was there. Curiosity made him reach for the music player around his neck and pause the current song. Half-lidded eyes watched the locked door, and after a few seconds, the awful pounding started once again.

She didn't speak, choosing to voice her displeasure through her attacks on the door. His briefly sparked curiosity died down like a doused ember. Shu felt his body sliding down the wall until he was reclined on the floor. His neck was at an uncomfortable angle and the carpet below was too solid to be comfortable but he didn't want to move now. What was the use of wasting so much energy?

His eyes slid close, his ears tuned to the unrhythmic pounding on the door in front of him.

. ~: . V . :~ .

She tired herself out before dusk. Often, the brief scent of blood could be smelled before disappearing and reappearing again during those long hours. Each time there was a spark in the air and her scent would grow sweeter as she healed herself. None of the brothers slept well that day with her blood enticing them while her power deterred them at the same time.

Come nightfall, Shu was aware of his brothers emerging from their rooms. He could feel their presence as they tried to get closer to the miko but his own presence kept them at a respectful distance. Momentarily, the eldest wondered how long that small amount of respect would last before they grew impatient.

_Crash. Bang! Thump._

Shu's closed eyes clenched shut even tighter as he tried to ignore the racket that filled the house. Something was being thrown around and several glass items were being shattered. Kanato could be heard murmuring to himself while Ayato was cussing vulgarly. Shu let out a low growl at their noisy disturbances.

"You're going to be late." Reiji, always concerned about punctuality and posture.

"How do you expect us to leave when that thing is outside?" Ayato demanded angrily.

There was the sound of more chaos and breaking. Shu blinked open his eyes, confused for a moment. He knew there were speaking of Mamoru, the mutt that defended the miko but as he recalled, the dog had been resting peacefully in his room. His loyalty lying with the strongest alpha male, him.

Yet the sound of paws racing around on the ground outside was unmistakable. Along with the deep boom of his angry barking, the sound of him trying to force his way inside could be heard. Reiji must have thrown Mamoru outside when Shu had left his room to investigate the banging and now, he was desperate to get back in.

"Kill it," answered Reiji.

"Then we can stuff and display him."

From the other side of the door, Shu could hear cloth rustling and moving as the miko moved about. Their loud, senseless disturbances must have awaken her too. Too bad, odds were that she was going to start up her own loud rackets again. Shu slouched deeper against the wall, tuning out his siblings.

Somehow, and Shu didn't care how, his younger brothers left the manor. The lack of pained cries and the absence of the scent of blood made him aware that they managed to do it without killing the dog or injuring themselves. As Reiji and himself had graduated the year before, this left the two eldest Sakamaki and Shu's mortal in the house.

She must have sensed it too. "Where did they go?" Her soft voice spoke from the other side of the door.

He didn't care enough to answer her.

There was some shuffling as she crept closer to the locked door. "When will they be back?"

Even though she couldn't see him, Shu kept his eyes firmly shut. His music was still off and the manor was a haunting silent. He wanted to reach up to play his music but he had the uncanny feeling that if he moved, his mortal would known. Therefore, he focused on her breathing for several minutes.

"You're a horrible conversationist."

He listened to something slam against the door and then slide down. He could just imagine her reclining against the door, her head tilted back in a near imitation of him. Her head would be tilted back, displaying her virgin neck. Her hair would be a tangle mess, tossed over one shoulder carelessly. With each breath, her breasts would heave up, begging for his bite. Her pale skin would flush darker as she experienced his own brand of pain. Would she beg? He ho -

"I have no other clothes." She was murmuring to herself but her words changed his thoughts. Instead of her being clothed in the hentai outfit from before, she would be in lingerie which did nothing to hide her from his sight. Would she chose to tease him? Or challenge him?

She muttered a few more words to herself before speaking clearly. "I request an audience with the head of house if he will permit me a bit of his time."

Reiji appeared before him as if he was waiting for her summons. Shu didn't open his eyes or acknowledge his brother in anyway. Reiji calmly stepped over his brother's long legs, his shoe hitting the top of Shu's leg in passing. Both brothers pretended the other did not exist.

"That was almost a respectful summoning," Reiji answered.

"With all due respect," her tone was pleasant without a show of hostility, "you are not the head of house, Reiji."

Shu heard gloves creaking as Reiji clenched his fist closed. Shu was surprised enough to open one eye, glancing towards the locked door. None of them seemed inclined to break the tension falling over the trio. Shu quickly understood that the tiny mortal was attempting to out wait them until she got what she desired.

Reiji glared at the door and explained, "I am the head of house. Therefore, all duties of such, fall onto me."

"Does Shu not accept his birthright as the eldest? Or did you take it from him?" A curiously, bold mortal indeed.

"It's rude to ask such personal questions."

"It's rude to lock your guest up when she has done nothing wrong."

"Is there a reason for this summoning besides childish squabbles?"

There was a deep sigh and a thud. Did she just bang the back of her head against the door? "I wish to be let free."

"You know that is an impossibility."

"Then I wish to discuss the terms of my imprisonment."

This was much different than the wild, untamable miko from before. Her tone was cool, her word carefully chosen and her attitude was poised. There were some brief moment when her temper would spike but she still held the attitude of a highborn lady.

"There is nothing to discuss." Reiji moved to leave.

"It is impolite to leave a discussion when neither party has been dismissed," she scolded him immediately.

Reiji paused mid-step, his back was turned towards Shu so he was unable to see his expression. From the way Reiji's shoulder were tense though, Shu knew he was unhappy. It wasn't often that someone could, or would, rectify Reiji's manners.

"I am dismissing this pointless conversation."

There was a squeak of outrage and something banged on the other side of the door. What little composure she possessed before, had broken. "You can't keep me locked up in here!"

This conversation was going in circles. Reiji was too proper to drop the subject and the tiny miko was raging and wanting to lash out at something. Shu gave a deep sigh and muttered to himself, "You are already imprisoned." Why argue against something that was already happening? "Pointless."

"You misunderstand your position and I grow weary at explaining it." A quiet, almost inaudible, sigh escaped Reiji. "You are a guest," Shu almost wanted to roll his eyes at the misuse of that word. Almost. "You are to not make demands. As our prey, you are the accept what we have provided knowing that we had no requirements to do so.

"Once you have chosen a master, or one has broken you," Shu stiffened as he felt Reiji's aura flow out in an uncharacteristic show of dominance, "you will be able to request privileges that he may allow. Until then, you are to remain placid and submissive."

"I decline," was her immediate answer.

"Goodnight, Kagome Higarushi."

Before she could object again, Reiji was gone. There was an animalistic growl from the tiny warrior on the other side of the door as she sensed his disappearance too. She slammed against the door a couple more times before falling silent. Shu saw no need to reprimand her or even to speak to her. He wearily reached up to play his music again, letting the haunting melody fill his mind and drown out the miko's angry mumbling.

What a beautiful relationship this family was developing with the miko.

. ~: . V . :~ .

"I'm a miko, small and pure. Lying on the cold, cold ground." She was singing to herself and the eldest vampire could hear her moving inside her room. Cloth was rustling, something was clinking and then silence. The pattern repeated as she continued to sing to herself. "Everyone walks over me. That is why I'm cracked you see."

The door handle was moving. "I'm immortal." She clicked twice with her tongue and impossibly, the mutt outside barked twice. "I'm alone. I'm a warrior. I'm a nut."

There was a quiet, inaudible click and the door fell silent. She was waiting, and so was he. Shu didn't move and his breaths quiet down to make it appear he was sleeping. On the other side on the door, she starting singing again. "Called myself on the telephone, just to hear my innocent tone." The door swung open, and even with his eyes closed, he could hear her breath catch in her throat at the sight of him sprawled on the floor, across from her door.

Like a cautious foal, she took two steps forward and then one step back. She was testing him, waiting for a response. Shu didn't bother to give one. He didn't even know if he was pretending or if he truly didn't care. She was too troublesome for him to try and figure out.

She kneeled down and reached a finger out to poke his bare foot. She continued to sing softly. "Ask me about my family, knew I would be gone about half past eight."

Her hand was warm and her skin was soft against his. With the softest brush of her touch, Shu could feel her blood moving underneath, igniting his own instincts. His throat burned, suddenly dry, but he refused to give up his facade.

"I'm a miko." _'Delectable.'_ "I'm alone." _'Mine.'_ "I'm a warrior." _'Irritating.'_ "I'm insane." _'We all are.'_

Her voice was pure seduction. It was soft and sweet, weaving into different notes with ease before tampering off lightly. He loved her voice but he wanted to hear different notes. The deep whimper of need. The baritone groan of pain. A high-pitch whine and scream that will echo across the grounds. He was getting antsy just thinking of the different pitches she could make, but before he could pursue his carnal desires, she bolted.

She didn't blindly run, which was something he respected instantly. She kept to a brisk trot, letting speed into her steps but not being quick enough to let panic decide her actions. He heard her reach the end of the hallway and then pause, assessing her choices before moving away. Her steps grew more cautious the farther she traveled.

She wasn't fooling anyone and her cautious steps and nervous scent revealed that she knew that. She was on a mission though and Shu couldn't help but be curious. He paused his music and focused all of his senses on her, tracking her without moving.

She found a room. Shu could hear her opening the door and scuttling inside for something. Something opened. Another door? Then it shut and she slunk back out, not closing the door behind her. _'So she's not trying to be untraceable.'_

She was looking for something. More doors were being opened and closed and every now and then she would give out a snort of frustration from her nose. On the other side of the manor he was aware of Reiji being very, _very_ still. He too was monitoring her movements.

One door opened and the sound of her feet brushing carpet was silenced. Now the whisper of skin on tile could be heard. Very few rooms held tile and when she starting humming again, her voice echoing against the bare walls, Shu knew what she had been searching for.

He moved before Reiji had the chance.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Unlike the docile Yui, most women screamed when they were attacked. The cattle at the school was no different, so the first thing Kanato did after pulling the young school girl into the closet was wrap his hand around her throat and squeeze, cutting her voice from before it could be heard. Choked, gurgling sounds escaped her restricted throat, the desperate whines sending shivers down his spine. With a pleased rumble, Kanato stabbed his fangs in deep.

Her blood gushed out like a fountain. Crimson liquid filled his mouth and he swallowed as much as he could before sucking harshly to get another mouthful. It was delicious but not the taste he was looking for. _She_ was not what he was searching for.

Her whimpers were too high-pitch. Her body was too busty, her breast shoved against his chest as if her very body was defying his hold. Without retracting his fangs, his grip around her throat tightened in punishment. Her fingernails were clawing at his arms and with his free hand, he grabbed the flailing fingers and crushed them in his grip. Ten satisfying snaps reached his ears as bones gave way under his grip. She was too weak to cry out now, like a sweet little doll should be.

The locked closest door shattered open. Kanato snarled, his bite closing around the girl's throat, splashing blood against his uniform, gripping tightly to her neck, which killed her. His jaw had instinctively locked, refusing to release his prey with another predator so close. His nostrils flared, taking in the scent of his youngest brother.

"Impatient brat," Subaru still had his fist raise, evidence that it was his superior strength that broke the door open. Kanato's jaw loosened, the body falling limply to the floor, so he could turn and glare at his sibling. Subaru's crimson gaze narrowed as he looked at the bloody sight. "Bury the bodies before Reiji finds out. He's going to be pissed when he discovers you three hunted on school grounds."

He tossed something at Kanato's feet before leaving. Kanato leaned down to pick up the flimsy material he was familiar with. The bridal veil was white and stiff from lack of use. Kanato's fingers traced the edge of the cloth, admiring its design and stitching.

_'So the church is finally supplying us again. How dare they forget about us this long!'_

The flimsy material shredded between his fingers, the smaller sections falling to the floor while others pieces draped itself over his meal. Her blue eyes were still wide open, the glaze of death covering them, adding a white film over them. Kanato grounded his teeth together, getting angrier the longer he looked at those worthless eyes. They were the wrong shade!

He reached down and stuck his thumbs straight into her eyes. They popped like ripe cherries at his touch, fluid and blood decorating his digits. "How dare you look at me," he hissed out.

"Fufu. Dear brother, did you not want to share?"

"Go away."

Laito was leaning against the open doorway, eying the corpse Kanato was kneeling by. Laito licked his lips, his bright green eyes on the blood ruining Kanato's shirt. "Go bother Ayato," Kanato huffed as he stood back up.

Laito sighed dramatically. "I can't. Our dear brother decided to be the messenger and went back home to inform Reiji." His shoe poked at one torn pieces of the bridal veil. "Want to try something fun?"

"Leave me alone!" Kanato roared out before disappearing.

Laito frowned as he was left alone with the corpse. He always thought Kanato grew upset too easily but little could change that aspect of his personality. Laito stepped forward, letting the broken door close behind him. He carelessly gripped the wrist of the dead girl and pulled her limp body up. Bloody, broken eyes stared back at him, crushed fingers danged like broken stems and blood covered her upper body, a stark contrast to the purple marks around her throat.

"How shameful that he didn't let you scream." He let the body fall back into a heap on the floor. "How do they always leave me with the clean-up duty?"

. ~: . V . :~ .

She was self-absorbed in her actions, her desire to be clean stronger than her desire to protect herself. It was too perfect of a moment, and the fact that his brothers had left her alone made it even sweeter. He reclined against the back of the wall, away from the reflective mirror as he watched her. A pleased sigh left her plump pink lips as she slipped into the bath, the steamy water caressing her skin and filling forbidden crevices. The warm water made her skin flush a delicate pink and despite his recent meal, he found himself craving her pure blood.

Ayato smirked when he caught sight of the clothes she planned on wearing resting in the nearby sink. She had raided his room, stealing one of his white shirt and one of the smaller pants. The short, delectable, outfit she was in earlier was thrown carelessly on the floor.

The light scent of soap filled the air. Roses and something soft, similar to rain, was being spread on her skin with her own thin fingers. He had only been there for a minute but the sensual image before him made it feel like forever. His vampiric mind would hold this memory in perfect clarity forever.

Her movements paused, her right hand resting on her left shoulder while her left hand was below the water, near her hip. There was a sharp spark as she finally realize she wasn't alone but Ayato moved faster than her.

His clothes were discarded on the floor, alongside her outfit and he was resting in the bathtub behind her. One arm wrapped around her stomach, dragging her back while he pressed his mouth to her neck, pulling his lips far enough back that she could feel the pressure of fangs against her soft skin.

"Osuwari!"

Ayato slowly blinked once, unsure if he had truly heard what she had said. Did she command him like a dog? His grip around her tightened, causing a whimper to escaped her throat. _'Did she believe she was a dominatrix?'_

"Yours truly gives commands, he doesn't take them."

"Yours truly," her voice was saturated with mockery, "is going to be purified if he doesn't leave."

His lips pulled back, displaying his fangs even more, and he couldn't stop the excitement that raced down his spine. Her challenging nature appealed to the predator inside them all. They desired to chase her down, dominate her and hear her cry out who was the true master. It was an enticing game that could end in fighting or sex. Both outcomes were pleasing to Ayato.

"Don't challenge me," Ayato warned.

In a demanding manner, Ayato dragged his bare hand, the one not restricting her, along her silky smooth leg, all the way up to her hip. The scent of blood grew stronger as she flushed and tried to move away, but she was unsuccessful with the bathtub caging her on all sides and Ayato's unmovable arm still wrapped around her. A strained, wordless sound escaped her lips as Ayato moved the arm wrapped over her stomach, to grip her hip tightly, halting her protests.

"What do you think you're doing?" The furious woman commanded.

His free hand along her ribs, moving slowly up to her naked chest. Slowly, his bare fingertips teasing her damp skin with each stroke. Despite her shock, and reluctance, Ayato could feel her shivering in pleasure. His fingertips danced further up, over her full breast. The gentle touch transformed into a forceful grab as Ayato's hands engulfed her breast. A shocked sound, something between a whimper and a gasp, escaped her plump lips as she desperately tried to move back, away from the sudden grip. Her actions inadvertently rubbed her damp body against Ayato's bare skin. The arrogant vampire hissed in pleasured as arousal drummed through his body. The arm still around her stomach pulled her back even more, pressing every inch of him against her.

"Get off m-" Ayato loosened his grip to tweak a rosy nipple, cutting off her protest.

He could feel her confusion. Her spirit wanted to fight but her body was being battled with reluctant pleasure. The vampire grinned, his teeth pressing deeper into her skin as his hand continued to caress her sensitive mound, squeezing, tugging and playing with the sensitive handful of flesh. Her blood was rushing wildly in her veins, lighting up her naked flesh a bright rose hue. She was still feebly protesting but Ayato was not paying attention. Her scent had grown stronger in the midst of her embarrassment and the intoxicating scent was hypnotizing him. All he could think about was fucking her, drinking her blood and then bathing in her scent.

Her powers were sparking along her skin, like a live electric current. It was painful but exhilarating to feel it dancing across his skin, both caressing and biting at his own aura. Her scent was strengthening with each struggle she gave and yet, he was faintly surprised to realize that the mysterious power she wielded was not activating like it had before. It appeared that even her own body had accepted its submissive nature.

It was all the encouragement he needed.

His harsh grip relaxed as his fingers started to play with one nipple and then switch over to tease the other one. Her sensitive body jolted unexpectedly, almost breaking her free of his grip. With a deep growl he slammed her body back against him, caging her once more. The hand that was previously resting on her hip was now stroking the outside of her upper thigh, coaxing more of that sweet, confused scent from the core of his miko.

"Dirty girl," his tongue teased the skin of her neck.

With a yelp, Kagome slammed herself forward, throwing all her weight against the arms caging her in. Ayato grimaced in surprise but he was too slow to stop her from twisting in his grip. Her wet skin slid against his own until she was turned around to face him. He had only a moment to memorize the sight before him.

Her skin was flushed from embarrassment and the hot water, the pink hue a contrast to the cream and silver scarred skin. Her hair was impossibly darker with the water and lying flat against her body, outlining every slope and curve of her back and neck. Her rapidly heaving breasts were topped with dark red buds that were tight with arousal. Her most enchanting feature was the blue irises that were wide with shock but could not hide the excited haze over her eyes.

Ayato felt his own body stiffened even more with excitement at the sight before him.

He was prepared for a slap. He braced himself with the feminine squeal that embarrassed mortals gave out. He was not prepared for her to slice her hand out and to scratch across his throat like an angry feline. The jolts of purification that accompanied the blow was unexpected too.

His fangs were bared to the world as he gave a silent shout of pain. Through his own red haze of pain, he could see her smirking victoriously at his pained expression. Her eyes held the same light that predator's had when they had their prey cornered. The dark glint should have been a warning, but all it did was rouse his own instincts. If she wanted to inflict pain, surely she would enjoy receiving it too?

The pain was still drumming through his body, traveling from his recent scratches deep into his bones and along his body. It was pulsing, each beat steady and fast._ 'A heartbeat?'_ With each painful throb, he felt his rational mind slipping. Instincts, long ago mastered, were demanding to be let loose.

The lingering scent of her pure, sweet essence was not helping.

His hands fell to grasp her hips painfully and drag her forward. Her body molded perfectly against his own but he didn't care. _'I must have her.'_ His nose buried itself at the junction of her shoulder, his mouth nipping and marking where he was going to bite.

She was struggling. Ayato could feel her every movement but despite her pretty, painful, light show, she was only mortal. She couldn't break his grip on her hips and her wild movement where only driving him more insane. He couldn't help himself when his hands shifted and started rocking her wiggling body against his own. Her young body dragged teasingly along his own, the damp center between her legs tracing his own arousal. The heat of the water was nothing compared to the wet warmth of her core.

The energetic bursts were getting stronger to more she struggled. Her sharp nails were digging deep into his shoulder blades, trying to inflict pain upon him. He shivered at each painful bite, his hands moving her faster as his lips pulled back to reveal glistening fangs.

"First everything," his husky voice reminded her.

His fangs dug deep and her sweet, virgin blood burst forward with no coaxing. He groaned gutturally and pulled her impossibly closer to him, his fangs sinking even deeper. A beautiful, tormented cry escaped her plump lips as he drank harshly from her. Her wiggling had ceased but her nails were digging in deep into his shoulders in response to the pain, sending painful jolts down his spine. Ayato naturally jerked forward at the feeling, driving himself against her even more. _'Just one small adjustment and she could be mine, body, soul and blood.'_

"Motto." Ayato lipped against her skin as the blood continued to flow. _More_. He needed more. He lifted his head, disconnecting his bite, only to try and move to the other side. He would brand her with his mark. She was too unique, too perfect to pass up. Not even that bitch of his mother had tasted this sweet.

Now that his fangs weren't deeply imbedded in her fragile skin, she resumed her fight. A loud, ear-splitting scream escaped her lips as her nails scratched down his neck and back. Thin red marks were left in her wake as she tried to free herself.

Ayato was forced to let go of one of her hips to clamp his hand over her mouth, cutting her off mid-scream. His face was furrowed in a frown as he stared into her pained, defiant eyes. Something was wrong. That scream . . . It was wrong. It was not the scream he wanted to hear from her.

"Why did you scream?" He forcefully demanded.

In response she angled her head just enough to catch the edge of his palm in her teeth and bit down, _hard_.

It was his turn to give out a pained yelp. He yanked his hand free but not before a few droplets of his blood graced her tongue. It was erotic to know she was drinking his blood, even if it was just a few drops. Too bad his pain outweighed the glorious sight she just gifted him with, her lips parted in a pained pant with traces of his own blood still decorating her lips, teeth and tongue. She had to be punished for her attempt at dominance.

Before he could move, their sanctuary was breached.

Ayato's grip around her hip was broken as a stronger force pulled the furious miko out of the bathtub. Another pair of pairs, too similar to his own, wrapped around his own naked chest, keeping him from mindlessly pursuing his prey. A hiss escaped his throat, a wordless warning to his brothers, but they were uncaring. Before he could stop him, Shu disappeared with a naked Kagome in his arms.

. ~: . V . :~ .

_'Too bothersome.'_

Yet, Shu couldn't deny that the sight of her caged within his brother's arms sent his possessive instincts raging. The fact that she had screamed so beautifully for Ayato, and a wooden door had muffled the sound, infuriated him. No one should hear those sounds but him.

He carelessly dumped the wet, squirming, _pissed_ miko on her bed. Her strange power was dancing along her skin, setting the hair on the back of his neck raising. It was weaker than usual, which interested him. He watched in amusement as she wrapped herself in the thick blanket they supplied her, choosing to preserve her modesty first. She continued to roll, off the bed and disappearing behind it.

Silence like a grave descended.

Curiosity, and the scent of her bleeding neck, drew him closer. Silently he stalked forward. He expected to see her trembling in the corner of a wall, frightened like the mortal she was. He expected to find her fainted, much like their past bride. Yui had been molested and bitten against her will often too but the weak blonde would chose to escape to the dreamland than face reality.

The sudden appearance of Subaru was the only thing that saved Shu was being gravely injured.

The youngest brother appeared just behind the lunging miko, capturing both of her wrists in one hand, while wrapping his other hand around her stomach, pulling her back. Subaru managed to capture her just in time and all Shu could do was stare impassively at the tip of the blade that was a hair away from his left eye.

Her blanket had fallen low, holding only onto the top swell of her breasts. Blood still trailed sluggishly down her neck, the crimson color a contrast to her cream and silver skin. The blade was glowing a faint pink, making Shu's instincts cautious of the predatory powers in front of him. His lip pulled by a small amount, displaying the tip of one of his fangs in a defensive show. Subaru lifted her off of her feet, her legs kicking like a disturbed child.

She didn't say anything but the threat was clear in her raging blue eyes.

"I was not the one who attacked you," voiced Shu.

She didn't answer but her fingers tightened around the knife. She no longer cared who did it, she just wanted to lash out. Such a temperamental creature.

"Tsk." Subaru's finger dug into her delicate wrist, forcing her fingers open so the knife would drop. With the threat of the blade now resting on the floor, Subaru released his hold on her wrists, but he still kept one arm wrapped around her hips, holding her in place.

Instantly her hand swung back, pressing her palm against the vampire holding her captive. Pink sparks danced along her fingertips, shocking Subaru until he dropped her. She scrambled for the knife but before she could grab it, Shu moved first. The eldest grabbed her weapon and was back in his original spot before she could notice his movement. For a moment, she stared stupidly at the place where the knife was, to where the two brothers suddenly stood together.

"This is stupid," Subaru growled. "You agreed to be a bride. Your blood is no longer yours."

She blushed in humiliation and snapped out, "I didn't agree to be molested!"

A loud sniff displayed Subaru taking in the scent around him. They could all smell the faint traces of arousal that still lingered on her skin. She may not have wanted it but on some level, she had enjoyed it. Kagome's blush got even darker as her temper flared.

"I don't know what fucking century you think you're from but _consent_ needs to come first. Touch me without my permission again and I'll hunt you down one by one."

Subaru's eyes narrowed at the threat. "Do you think you can truly kill us?"

"Not as a group but separate, I think I can. I've taken out bigger threats than you."

The scary thing was, Shu believed her. Her eyes were haunted and her will to live, _to fight_, was stronger than all the mortals he had met. Even stronger than the young boy he had met, too long ago.

_'Consent.'_

Shu sighed. This was too much. His peaceful world had been destroyed since he took an interest in her. She was too much trouble and the longer she stayed, the more hassle she would cause. Why did he care again? The scent of her pure blood was not worth fighting his brothers for. It would be too much effort to extend her fate.

If she died he would keep the dog. That's all he desired.

He left the room, seeing no reason to stay any longer. She was alive, ready to cause more disturbances later. She was away from his brother, no longer creating that maddening scent that upset him deeply.

His mattress molded itself around his supine form, the soft material coaxing him into sleep. Before he could drift off, he reached up to play his music. He chose to ignore the fact that despite the dark melody that whispered into his ear, it was the soft tune of a child's song that haunted his mind.

Her blood was not worth it. Yet, he had taken her from away from his brother.

Her arousal was distressing when mixed with his brother's scent. Yet, he wanted to smell how their scents would mix.

Her singing followed him even in sleep, but it was the image of the blade he purposely left behind that haunted him.

_'How troublesome.'_

. ~: . V . :~ .

Unknown to the miko, her words could be heard throughout the manor. Laito's head was tilted to the side, catching the last of her fading words. A wicked grin flashed across his face as he leaned down to press his nose against the naked shoulder of his brother. Ayato was leaning back, alone in the bath water, still panting. His pupils had yet to undilated, adding to the crazed gleam there and from his open mouth, Laito could see his tongue constantly swiping over his fangs, savoring the last of the miko's blood.

Neither of them cared that Ayato was naked or that one of Laito's hands, the one not restraining Ayato, was trailing over his naked chest absentmindedly. Ayato was too lost in his bloodlust to notice the lingering touch of his brother and Laito was more concerned with inhaling the scent of her arousal that still lingered on Ayato's skin.

"You were too rough," Laito complained lightly. "Or maybe, not rough enough." _'She had been able to scream and fight back. With a little bit of pain, that could have been avoided.'_

"Yours truly can do anything he wants to her," Ayato blinked out of his daze and swatted Laito's wandering hand away before it could travel any lower. "She belongs to me."

"I can share."

"She belongs _only_ to me."

There was a moment of silence before Laito said, "Not if she screams my name first."

_'Consent._' That was the word that lingered in their minds.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Subaru threw the torn bridal veil onto the ground, before the kneeling miko. Laito had seen fit to return it to Subaru earlier, claiming he would like the color. Except, its startling pure color now mocked the two remaining souls in the room. Subaru had long grown to hate the color white, for its mockery at innocence. His own mother had cherished the color, so all it did was remind him of her crumbling mind and his failure to protect her.

What pissed him off was that the woman before him was doing a decent job at reminding him of his failures. His hands balled into fists by his side as he glared at her. Fearlessly, she met his gaze and glared back. The blanket was wrapped firmly around her once more, preserving her modesty.

"Get out," she hissed.

"You're selfish." He struck out, unable to contain his fury. '_How dare she._' The wall to his side shook from the impact and an impact crater was formed. She didn't flinch, her glare just darkened.

"Because I don't want to be raped or because I don't want to be a bride?" She spat back.

_'Idiot.'_ "That means someone is going to die for you."

He watched her reach out to grab the material. She brought it closer to her, inspecting it for _something_. Finally she admitted defeat and looked up at him. A question lingered in her depths though she didn't drop her defensive posture.

"The church is sending a new sacrificial bride."

She was nervously fiddling with the torn veil, her callus fingertips damaging the delicate edges. "I thought I was the sacrificial bride."

"You don't even know your role." Why the fuck did she agree to be their bride if she didn't know what was expected of her? _'For her family.'_ A taunting voice murmured in the back of his head. "You should speak with Reiji." Let the self proclaimed head of the house handled her questions.

He turned to leave when her soft voice stopped him. "Wait."

He wanted to ignore her. He wanted to turn away but instead he found himself turning towards her, like a pet. He stared uncaringly at her as she nervously tightened the blanket around her. Her free hand reached up to rest on the dried blood on her neck, the wound already healed.

"You just want my blood right? That's what you were all speaking about the night I arrived." How foolish she was. She did not yet know that feeding and fucking were entwined in their nature.

He couldn't stand to be around her stupidity any longer. "You're a blood bag. Why else would you be here?"

He turned his back to her and gave her one last warning. "They'll come for you."

Subaru knew that by the end of her pitiful life, he would hate the color blue too. _White. Blue._ Both contained pleading innocence that he would not save.

. ~: . V . :~ .

It was punishment, or perhaps they just liked her caged. Either way, Kagome found herself locked away in her room again, this time with a metal slide lock on the outside of the door. She could feel the vampires were lingering closer to her room than usual too. She could sense their dark energy, nipping and teasing her own aura. One aura was more forceful than the others and instinctively Kagome knew this was Ayato, trying to entice her to escape. His aura had more energetic and frisky since their interrupted time in the bathroom.

During the first locked away night, she was content to sit on her bed and sing. When she awoke on the second day, she would find several new, ordinary outfits resting on her bed. Strangely enough, they looked nearly identical to the clothes she had attempted to steal from one of the vampires. On the second night, she paced the room and tried to use her aura to entice the vampires to free her. It failed. On the third night, she moved one of her dressers and her bed, in an attempt to organize her prison to her liking.

"I can out wait you fuckers," she huffed to herself as she heaved the bed more to the right, away from her large window.

She knew her words were true. She was immortal and had eternity at her fingertips. Them? Well she had yet to meet another creature who was immortal like her. She was alone in the world and had been for almost two centuries. The only thing to keep her mostly sane was the thinning wolf lineage and her journals. Both of which were being kept from her at the moment.

Her stomach clenched and grumbled, breaking her out of her thoughts.

She had not eaten since that disastrous dinner meeting that Reiji had tried. Her stomach mutters it displeasure once more but with one body part now voicing its displeasure, the rest of her body complained. She vainly tried to wet her lips, now aware of the dry, scratching feeling in her throat. Three days were not the longest she had survived without water, her record was seven days, but that knowledge didn't make her any less uncomfortable.

She could not die but _dying_ still hurt like a bitch.

On the fourth night, she sensed a change. Half-awake, with a growling stomach and dry throat, she sensed the new aura entering the manor. It was naive, soft, young, and mortal. She felt its energy, different than the half of dozen that had been circling her for days. Coincidently, that night was the farthest the vampires had ever been from her room.

"Hello?" She sounded like an _innocent_.

The naivety in her tone was what truly rose the young miko. She could never sit by and let an innocent person get hurt. Not while it was in her power to help them. Too much blood stained her hands already and she was unwilling to add more. Her hand reached across the bed, mindlessly searching for the welcoming touch of fur to greet her fingertips. Instead, soft silk moved gently between her digits. She pulled the material closer as she pushed herself up. The wedding veil was laid in her lap, a reminder of why the girl was there.

"Is anyone home?"

She wasn't going to survive. Already Kagome could feel her vampires lurking closer to the new woman, their auras darker as they hunted. Outside her door, she was aware of paw steps scuffling along the floor and then a large weight being put on the door. There was snuffling, metal sliding and then her door swung open.

Dim blue eyes looked up at see a large mongrel standing in the doorway. Massive round ears were perked forward and his tail was held high in a challenging manner. The miko sighed as she locked eyes with the canine. She knew that stubborn stance, it had passed through the generations for ages.

"You want me to save her."

A rumbled, not quite a growl but not a purr, answered her.

"You know that will seal my own fate."

Mamoru nodded his head twice. _'I guess there was no escaping this to begin with.'_

"Your instincts are terrible! I swear the last sensible companion I had was your great-grandmother."

Mamoru snorted in disbelief before shaking out his thick, red fur.

Kagome didn't even think about the encounter that had just happened. For her, it was completely normal to have conversations with her canines. Eight generations ago, her companions had even been able to speak back to her, though that talent was lost as more mixed blood appeared. Still, even now, Mamoru held higher intelligence than all other dogs and understood her words.

Kagome leaned down and grabbed the kitchen knife that was still on her floor. She found it odd that they had yet to take the weapon from her. Shu had held it in his hands, but still chose to drop it when he left. Maybe they didn't think it could be used against them? True, the knife wouldn't harm them without her channeling her purification powers into it, but it was still a weapon. Did they underestimate her that much?

Impatient barking scolded her for her delay.

"Alright," Kagome snapped out, "bring me to the innocent."

The burly mutt prowled the hallway with Kagome trailing behind him. She purposely held the blade out, letting its tip drag along the walls. It cut wallpaper, sliced through wood and made a low sound, sending its threatening intention to all who had supernatural hearing.

Instead of heading for the front door, Mamoru guided her deeper into manor. Kagome could feel the stranger ascending the front stairs, marking her location on the other side of the manor. She wanted to question her hound but she trusted him. His instincts had gotten her out of many doomed situations before.

She felt when the vampires' intentions grew murderous. Two dark auras descended on her and a scream ripped the air apart. Kagome froze, waiting for her aura to give out but it remained strong. Kagome could feel her running away, as the vampires hung back. The miko was surprised to feel the girl running straight towards them, heading deeper into the manor.

"They like to play with their food," Kagome realized. That explained the attempted foreplay before Ayato's bite and Kanato's sick game he tried to play before she was brought here. They enjoyed the hunt. Mamoru quietly woofed once in affirmative, confirming her musing.

"Help me, please!"

She could feel another aura cut the girl off, causing more screaming, before she ran in a new direction. Mamoru adjusted his own course, ducking down a hallway with Kagome following close behind. The three auras were hunting together now, unknowingly herding the innocent girl towards them. Mamoru picked up his pace, suddenly running down a hallway with Kagome on his tail.

All three of them crashed together in a tangle of limbs and fur.

Habitually Kagome flung her arm out, keeping her knife away from the dog pile she suddenly found herself in. There was heavy weight on her, as she was at the bottom of the pile, and they were squirming. A hand innocently brushed her inner thigh and a paw slammed into her stomach, knocking the breath out of the miko. It felt like forever, especially with her gasping for air, but finally the three sorted themselves out, with the girl standing up, Mamoru by her side and Kagome wheezing on the floor.

She looked up to see the woman her dog wanted to save.

She was beautiful in a traditional way. Her skin was a tan color that spoke of an active lifestyle. Her body was thin and limber with no unnecessary fat. She had long straight black hair that flowed to just beneath her shoulder blades. She held her hair in a ponytail, which displayed the straight cut bangs across her forehead. Warm chocolate brown eyes looked down at her, full of fear.

_'A laughing woman that gossiped with her. Her eyes shining with joy as she announced her pregnancy. A monk wrapping the woman in his arms, both of them basking in love as she watched enviously. A small cream kitten prancing around the woman's feet as she danced._

_'Screams. Blood. She was declined on the floor, her body twisted in pain as she pushed. Kagome was panicking, unsure what to do but knowing something was wrong. There was too much blood. Blood. Blood on the floor. Blood around the screaming firstborn that she barely glanced at. She was focused on the mother. There was too much blood. She was weak and there was one more._

_'Screams. Agony. Panic. The second twin was born, a stillborn with the umbilical cord wrapped around its neck. The mother was too weak though and had lost too much blood. Kagome could only cry as she watched her best friend die before her eyes. She was too naive to do anything to save her.'_

One loud bark, right in her ear, snapped her out of her memory. The woman was still standing in front of her, crying and clutching her bleeding, bitten wrist. Mamoru was wrapped protectively around the stranger's legs, his ears flickering around as he tried to track the nearby vampires.

"Sango?" Kagome whispered, unable to currently separate past from present.

"No," she was so hesitant to answer. "My name is Fuji."

_'Not the same. They're different.'_

Mamoru barked again, this time ending in a growl. The vampires were closer now and would be upon them in a few seconds. Kagome had achieved her original goal of getting to the innocent. Now she had to come up with a plan that ended with both of them living. Kagome couldn't fight the vampires. Picking them off one by one would be easy but they were clustering together now and even as a powerful, immortal miko, Kagome had her limits.

"If I distract them, can you get her free?"

Mamoru nodded.

Kagome pushed herself to her feet and immediately wrapped the strange girl in a tight hug, mindful of the knife she still held. Fuji stiffened in her grasp, her breath hitching in her throat. She tried to wiggle away but Kagome was unrelenting. The miko tightened her hug and buried her face into Fuji's shoulder. Kagome didn't know when she started to cry but she knew her tears were soaking into Fuji's shirt.

"Follow Mamoru, he'll lead you out." She whispered just loud enough to be heard. "Run away and forget you were here. Run and never look back."

Kagome backed off but kept her hand on Fuhji's shoulder. She looked deep into Fuji's eyes, drowning in their chocolate depths. Fuji. Sango. Different people but so alike in appearance. The longer she looked, the more her heart ached for things that had long since died.

"Thank you," Kagome whispered. She didn't know if she was speaking to the past, or the present, but it didn't matter to her.

"For what?"

"Existing," she flashed a watery smile, her eyes still streaming tears, before letting go. She looked down at Mamoru, who was gazing up at her with concern. She huffed, shaking off his questioning gaze. She reached down and brushed a reassuring hand over his furry ears.

"Keep her safe. Lead her off the property and then come back to me."

The canine nuzzled into her palm, a parting good-bye, then he turned to carefully grab Fuji's shirt between his sharp teeth and tug. The bride took a few hesitant steps forward, still gazing at Kagome. "If you don't come with us, you'll die."

Kagome didn't answer and Mamoru gave one more sharp tug, pulling Fuji's full attention to the canine._ 'Time is wasting.'_ She gave one last glance at Kagome, still unsure, before obediently following Mamoru. Kagome watched as Mamoru lead Fuji deeper into the hallway, letting the shadows swallow their forms until they disappeared.

Kagome took a precious second to gather her wits. The flashes she got from the past always disoriented her when she received them. She leaned against a nearby wall, her gaze looking down on the knife in her hands. She had to distract the vampire and give Mamoru time to escort Fuji away. They were predators already consumed by the heat and thrill of the hunt. It was unlikely that they would chose to ignore their target if she spoke to them.

No, she had to give them something else to hunt.

She brought the blade up, gazing at the reflection that gazed back. She moved the blade down, resting its edge against the underside of her wrist. Several silver scars already marred her flesh, revealing that this was not the first time a blade had rested there.

She took a deep breath through her nose and sliced.

Sharp pain raced up her arm but she ignored it. She brought the blade up, making another cut on the inner crease of her elbow. Crimson blood welled to the surface, flowing over her skin before falling to the floor. It was a hypnotizing sight, watching what others would consider precious, flow over and waste to the floor. The iron smell of her blood filled her nostrils, burning itself into her memory.

She reached out and smeared a hefty amount on a nearby wall. The wallpaper turned a haunting shade before accepting her blood offering. With a twisted grin, Kagome turned and took off down a different hallway. She made sure to let her blood drip to the carpet and she reached out every few seconds to drag her bleeding wrist against the wall.

She painted a crimson trail for them to follow.

. ~: . V . :~ .

It called to everyone, even those not participating in the hunt. The original three auras switched targets in a heartbeat, veering off their trail to chase after her. Not even a minute had passed before another aura became known, this one trailing sluggishly behind the others. Kagome could feel the jewel inside her growing excited at the atmosphere of a hunt but she stubbornly kept it under control, not letting it release any energy. This hunt would mean nothing if she scared them off or proved to be too difficult of a target.

Placidly, the jewel listen to her.

For this chase, Kagome was unprepared. She didn't know the layout of her territory, her blood was too strong, continuously luring them in, and the vampires had talents she had yet to learn. The only redeeming feature that was keeping her alive was that her hunters liked to play.

She barely managed to swerve down a small hallway, avoiding the vampire that appeared further down the hall. Kagome thought her heart had stopped when he suddenly appeared and the manic grin on his face revealed that he was enjoying toying with her.

"Cheater," she panted out as she found her footing on the carpet and darted off.

Kanato's giggles echoed eerily behind her.

"Teleportation or fast speed?" Kagome murmured to herself as she darted around another corner. There was no ends to this house!

_'No matter the answer, this proves that they could easily corner me.'_ Kagome yelped as she felt soft fingertips trailing through her hair. She glanced over her shoulder to see Laito standing behind her retreating figure. They were getting closer now. _'How long until the game ends?'_

She looked down at her bleeding arm. Despite her trying to contain the jewel, it was slowly healing her wounds, keeping any life threatening harm away from its guardian. All that was left of the deep cuts was a shallow nick and fading pink lines. With a grimace, Kagome stopped and raised her blade once again. _'More bait,'_ Kagome thought as she dragged the sharp edge against her skin, effortlessly cutting through the recently healed wounds. This time, she made sure to dig even deeper, spilling more blood and splitting skin and muscle.

A second too late, she realized her mistake. _'I cut too deep.'_ She was losing too much blood now and her mind was growing weak. She stumbled down her path, sometimes leaning against the wall for support, determined to give Fuji more time to escape. She whimpered as her vision blurred, the edges darkening as her vision threatened to go black. She stumbled, her legs giving out and sending her to her hands and knees.

Vertigo made it difficult to keep track of her position, threatening to send her sprawling fully to the floor. She felt nausea growing in the pit of her stomach as she was forced to look and watch her blood flow. The cuts were even deeper than she originally thought, trailing blood down her arm in a smooth, thin stream and creating a small puddle where she kneeled. The sight of herself bleeding never grew easier to tolerate, not even after five hundred years.

"You should have ran when you had the chance," a pair of white boots appeared in front of her. "It is stupid to sacrifice yourself for her."

Kagome found this funny. They could never understand. They were predators, where only the strongest survive. They didn't know how it felt to be human, and to want for the safety of others. "She reminded me of someone," the miko whispered with a worn smile.

His pants creaked as he leaned down, bringing his face into her vision. He was scowling at her, his visible red eye crinkled in rage. His body was tense, keeping himself in place despite the allure of her blood. Her simple answer only pissed off the highly agitated vampire.

"You're going to die here," he growled.

Kagome's limbs finally gave out, sending her sprawling supine to the floor. A pool of her own blood lapped at her clothes and skin, its temperature cooling rapidly. The iron taste of her blood on her lips had her gagging. "Can't," she answered between heaves.

His fist slammed into the ground in front of her, sending a few more bloods of her blood flying into her face. "What do you know? Your body may not break, but I can shatter your mind." In her darkening vision, Kagome could clearly see the conflict on his face.

She yelped as he grabbed her bleeding wrist and brought it to his lips. She was prepared to feel his tongue around her flesh or his fangs sinking deep but instead, he just rested his lips around her open, bleeding wound.

"What do you expect of me?" She couldn't hear him but she could feel each word being formed around her skin. "What do you want, from me?"

Though hidden, she could hear the dark undertone. She had heard this haunted, helpless tone before. It was the same, over and over, no matter the species or generation. In her blood loss confusion, the face before her blurred, bringing an old memory to the surface.

A fond smile grace her fingers and her finger weakly caressed the skin of his cheek. She wasn't seeing her hunter or capturer, she was seeing a confused hanyou with honey bright eyes. It wasn't the first time Inuyasha had approached her for comfort, though he was always too prideful to ask for it.

Still she gave it, just like she was doing now.

Bright red eyes widened in shock, breaking her illusion. His disturbed expression fell into a deep frown and instead of feeling soft lips against her skin, she could feel razor sharp teeth. He bit down before she could defend herself, digging his teeth in deeply. The miko's back arched upward at the sudden pain, her mouth opened in a silent scream.

Unlike his brother, Subaru's bite had more power behind it. His grip around her wrist tightened at the same time, sending different bolts of pain through her. His grip was unwavering, his hand holding her in place while his fangs and tongue coaxed more blood out of her.

She didn't have much to give. Most of her liquid life decorated the walls and carpet. For the first few seconds, Subaru insisted on sucking deeply at the wounds, coaxing more and more out of her. Each tug was more painful for than the last as her body protested at the loss of blood. Then, his feeding changed.

His fangs were still buried in her skin but he had ceased his sucking and his fangs didn't dig in deeper. Instead, his tongue came forward to taste her. It danced in complex movement, coaxing, swiping, digging and caressing. She couldn't help the shiver that raced down her back at the touch, her wrist had always been sensitive.

When he unlatched his fangs, Kagome blinked the haze away from her eyes and followed Subaru's crimson gaze to her wrist. The first cut had been healed by his saliva, not even leaving a mark behind. Subaru leaned down, trailing his nose along the underside of her forearms, up to the second cut of her arm.

The pattern repeated. He bit down harshly, swallowing the first few mouthful, before tampering off and licking the wound. The second bite passed in a haze, the pain and pleasure blurring into one sensation that she strangely liked.

She was losing conscience, and afraid of another bite, she tried to warn him. "Wai-"

"You have no right to refuse me," he lipped against her healing second cut.

He carelessly let her arm drop and then reached for her neck. His hands combed through her long hair, not paying mind to the sticky blood on some strands, before cradling the back of her head. He leaned down, while lifting her neck and head up, until they nearly nose to nose. Kagome whimpered, she knew she was losing the fight to stay conscience, and damn it, she was tired of fainting or losing conscience around the vampires.

"Don't look at me with those eyes," Subaru growled out, his breath washing over her face. "I'm not your savior."

"No," Kagome was no fool. She had no feeling for her captors. She wasn't stupid enough to care for those who just wanted to kill her. Yet, she was too innocent to let another die in her place. Fuji didn't have the abilities she had. Kagome knew she would be free, either after time takes the vampires, or when she manages to kill them herself. "You are not."

He leaned down even closer, their lips nearly touching. She held her breath, waiting for the kiss, but instead, his tongue flickered out. The pale pink muscle traced her lips, catching the stray blood droplets from before. The touch was light, and so quick, she almost missed it.

There was a moment of stillness, full of tension, as he pulled back and stared into her eyes. _'I wonder what he sees, reflect there.'_ She stared into his own crimson gaze, and only saw herself, sprawled on the floor in a puddle of her own blood. She looked broken, pathetic and weak. _'Is it the same thing I see?'_

"You're mine," Subaru stated firmly.

"I'm not," Kagome found the energy to still protest. "I refuse to submit to you."

"She belongs to yours truly," Ayato appeared behind the pair, glaring darkly at their close contact.

Kagome shook her head and then regretted it. She moaned loudly, her stomach lurching in revolt and her mind wanting to close down. She tried to roll into a ball to relieve her upset stomach but Subaru refused to let go of her neck. "None of you," she tried to explain. She knew it was only their supernatural hearing that gave them the ability to hear her.

Laito was now kneeling by Subaru's side, his own hand reaching out to run his fingers against her side. Ayato hissed from behind them, while Subaru turned a deadly glare to his half-brother. Laito's green eyed switched from his fingers, tracing her side, to the blood on the floor, and then to Subaru's possessive grip on her neck.

"You must admit," Laito spoke seriously, his tone green with envy, "Subaru has held and touched hato longer than any of us." Kagome's eyes widened at the realization that she was still, subconsciously, keeping the jewel in submission. "Could it be, that seduction is the way to gain your submission?"

Despite his seemingly threatening words, Kagome felt her face erupt in a blush. She blamed it on the fact that she could feel all six auras lurking in the hallway now, and there was no way they had missed Laito's words.

"Pretty words won't make me submit."

"No," Kanato appeared near her feet. "But pain and pleasure might."

She tried to struggle free but there was no escape. Subaru was too strong, she was too weak, and she was surrounded by vampires. She knew she never had a chance at winning and now, the hunt was over. She was caught and with the smell of her blood now tainting the very walls, there was no hope of getting free. She had teased the predators, one too many times. To make it worse, based on the six fanged grins around her, Laito's words had inspired a new hunting method.

* * *

About two or three thousand word bonus for those patiently waiting (not counting my notes, above and here). Unfortunately, I hit a massive writer's block with this story (I've never struggle so much with a story before!) and I find my attention wandering. However, _**t****_h_is story is not abandoned**_. If, and I'm not saying I will, but if I choose to abandon this story, I will clearly update the first and last chapter to say so. So if you don't see that, then the story is not abandoned. Fret not, take a deep breath, continue reviewing for me.

Speaking of reviews, I did not answer any last chapter and I'm sorry. My life became tangled and I just didn't have the time, (I spent all my free time writing this), however, some good questions and thoughts were brought up. I will probably answer those in the next week. Otherwise, those who review this chapter, will be hearing back from me. So, you may get two messages from me if you're one of my regulars.

This chapter is dedicated to Subaru and Shu! Why? I noticed their names brought up the most in regards to last chapter's question. I was rereading the reviews, trying to find inspiration, and afterwards, those two just commanded my typing. Told you, your words are a main inspiration for this story.

For me, Shu is my favorite brother, hands down. Laito is a guilty desire that comes in as a close second. Sometimes they tie, depending on my mood.

As a reward for your reviews and reading my ramblings, now it's your turn. You get to ask me one question, any question. Ask me about the story, the weather, headcannons, anything. The only question you may not answer me, is the pairing of this story.

_-Nightshade_

* * *

_July 3rd, 2016 : _Kinda saw this coming. There seems to be a misunderstanding about this story. So let me take a few moments and clear this up. One, _**in no way am I supporting rape**_. For those unaware, it is possible to feel arousal while being molested or raped. This is a body reaction and not due to the person. It can't be helped sometimes. This is what happens to our dear miko. She does not want it, but her body reacted against her will. She fought back afterwards and made it clear her opinion, **_that consent needs to come first_**. The vampires are not human and I've tried to empathize this. They do not think like humans or feel like humans. I plan on having this changed in the future but it takes time. It would be too OOC to suddenly change them. This is not me supporting rape but following the DiaLovers script to begin with. There are many situations within the DiaLovers story/games/animes that is bordering on molestation and rape. If you think otherwise, you are kidding yourself. Kagome will not be raped in this story, it was never in the plans and will never be in the plans.

I warned above, that you need to be familiar with the DiaLovers fandom. This game was meant for a mature audience and this story will be the same. There are many touchy subjects will we will be exploring and while I support discussions, arguments and disagreements, I will not tolerate being accused of supporting rape or molestation.

An author does not always agree with what she writes or how the characters act. But she writes it because that's the _personality_ of the characters. The Sakamaki see Kagome as an object, it's that simple. Do I plan to change that? _Yes_. Will it be a bumpy ride as we get to that point? _Probably_. I understand if this story is not up to your standards anymore due to content, and I am sorry to lose a reader like that but it can not be helped.


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

_Tradition says that if the eldest of a coven has made a claim, then the prize goes to the eldest. They are the strongest, the one born in power, and the one the rest of the coven respects. It was much like wolves obeying an alpha, I suppose. It's too bad our family has never been one for tradition. Perhaps we'll make sharing a new tradition. Following _that man's_ example was never something I was fond of anyways. Unless it's that one trick. _

**_-Laito Sakamaki_**

* * *

The miko wasn't quite sure what she expected, honestly. After Laito's suggestion, she thought she was going to be hunted even more. She expected to be assaulted and not given a moment's rest. What she was not expecting was to be left alone, nearly forgotten about.

Nearly a week had passed and none of them had approached her. If it wasn't for the constantly locked doors, essentially stranding her in the manor, and the heavy auras that haunted the manor, she would have thought she was alone.

So she spent her days by herself. Like it was her nature, she grew to change her habits to match those around her. It was simple thinking really. It was safer to sleep, while the vampires who didn't understand personal space, slept. It was wiser to be awake and ready to defend yourself, when the touchy vampires were awake. _Simple_. So, Kagome battled her natural instincts and became nocturnal.

This, unfortunately, meant she was often bored. She couldn't find a television, or a radio, and the supernatural locked doors kept her inside most of the time. She was also without her journals, which meant she couldn't write like she normally did. So, during the nights, she passed her time by cooking or wandering the labyrinth manor. Mamoru often kept her company, the two of them side by side like the old days.

Kagome might have considered it odd but she was just glad to be out of the vampires' sight for the moment. She had had a wild week, as her life was turned upside down once again. With the terror and confusion she had been experiencing, she had received little time to adjust to what, she thought, was going to be a nearly permanent arrangement.

Kagome didn't bother to keep track of the days. She rarely did anymore. Time passing meant nothing to her, it was just another setting sun or a falling moon.

On an unmarked day, Kagome was cooking when the vampires remembered they owned a new pet. She had just finished cooking the meat when they appeared, in various spots around the kitchen. Kagome yelped in surprise, not expecting them to just appear, especially after such a lengthy silence. Mamoru, was had been laying peacefully by her bare feet and warm stove, leaped up with a snarl. His black lips were pulled back to reveal jagged fangs and he savagely snapped at the air in a territorial display. The miko smirked at the sight, enjoying Mamoru's hostile attitude and the way the triplets froze, giving her and her companion plenty of space.

"He holds grudges," was all Kagome said before turning back to her food.

She didn't see them exchanges looks or when one of the triplets took a daring step forward. She could sense their auras increasing in strength again, attempting to crush, or coax, her own in submission. Her hands sparked instinctively as her own aura increased, meeting their unspoken challenge. Grudgingly their aura receded, their battle of wills starting and ending in a few brief seconds.

It was Ayato who took another step forward and decided to break the silence. "Reiji wants your presence."

Kagome hummed uncaringly as she served her food into a small bowl she had found a few days ago. "I'm sure Reiji can feel my presence quite well. After all, I can feel all six of you."

She was not a dog to be called upon whenever they desired. If Reiji wanted her presence, he should have gotten her himself instead of sending his brothers.

"Not as well as you could be," Laito murmured, more to himself than the group.

"Hentai," the word fell from her lips easily but it was the teasing tone that surprised her.

Since when was she taking any of this, as a joke? Her grip tightened around the cutting knife as she glared at her reflection. She refused to be this stupid. She had to get free, away from these predators.

She felt the air shift as one of them moved forward, again. Mamoru's bark was echoed by two hisses, but Kagome was quicker. She spun and threw the knife, her aim clean and precise. The shining metal just missed, Kanato's vampiric speed was the only thing to save him from having to pluck a knife from his chest. Kagome held her defensive stance, eyes darting cautiously from vampire to vampire.

"I love that look on you," Laito murmured sinfully. "Confused, anxious. It makes me hot."

"Enough!" Kanato turned to glare at his brothers. He was more upset by the perverted remark than Kagome throwing a knife at him, and barely missing."You can't have her."

Possessive vampires. They were arguing much like the ookami demons when there was a dispute. Bared fangs. Aggressive stance. Heavy auras. Yet, none have moved to attack one another. Ayato and Kanato, in particular, seem to be trying to assert themselves to the other.

It was a battle for dominance, rather than a fight to claim.

Kagome yelped as her feet was swept out from under her. She had been so preoccupied with analyzing the arguing pair, that she briefly forgotten there was a third. Her hands scrambled in an effort to regain her balance, finding proper grip by grabbing two handfuls of Laito's shirt. She was being held bridal-style, with one hand placed threateningly at the back of her neck, and the other hand resting against her ass.

Kagome, eyes still wide in surprise, looked up to a grin displaying too many teeth, and predatory glowing eyes. "Play nice, hato," the hand gripping her neck tightened fractionally, "or else."

The miko could feel her aura rushing, reacting strongly to the predator above her. Her skin took on a pink tint, and her blood warmed to an uncomfortable heat. "Laito, _put me down._"

Laito shook his head, already walking towards the kitchen doorway. "Reiji has some unusual punishments for those who fail his expectations, and I don't want to face that."

Kagome flexed her palm, sending a sharp sting into the vampire's chest. Laito's steps faltered, jostling her against his chest before he regained his footing. With her ear pressed against his silent chest, Kagome could hear Laito's breath hitch, and she thought he might have gotten the silent threat.

Except, instead of letting her go, Laito pulled her further back into his body and a breathy moan caressed her ear.

_'If he's in pain, he's enjoying it.'_ A light blush was spreading across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

"We should explore your light show more," Laito groaned out.

_'Defiantly not in pain.'_

"Put me down," the miko squirmed lightly, but the vampire's grip was unyielding. Her blush only deepened when he held her tighter, forcing to to feel his arousal against her hip.

"Hato, are you enjoying this?" A teasing purr tinkled her ear.

"Laito, if you don't put me down, _right now_, I'm going to hurt you and I'm going to make sure you don't enjoy it."

For a second, Kagome thought her threat had worked and at least one vampire was taking her seriously. Her body tipped, putting her back on her feet, with a pair of hands gripping her hips, making sure she had her footing before letting go.

Before she could escape though, Laito reached over her shoulder and rapped his knuckles twice on the door they stood in front of. She squirmed, but supernatural strength kept her in place until the door open, and Reiji stood in front of them.

His sharp garnet gaze swept over the couple, his eyes lingering on Laito's grip on her hips, before dipping his head in dismissal.

"Thank you, Laito," Reiji's calm voice was strangely eerie.

A gloved hand grabbed onto her wrist, pulling her inside the room and shutting the door before she could defend herself. At the same time, Kagome yanked herself back, slamming her back into the door that had shut a second prior. Reiji followed her movement, slamming her bound wrist above her head, and trapping her against the door.

The miko froze, feeling every ridge and muscle pressing against her. For a creature that prided himself on poise and tradition, Kagome could feel a well defined body trapped beneath. A nose pressed against her ear, before trailing itself down the column of her neck. Her body trembled at the puff of warm air that brushed her ear, and Reiji pressed more firmly against her in response.

She could feel his aroused growl vibrating against her chest. "Quit your struggling," she could feel every word against her neck. "I only requested your presence for some tea."

A second later Reiji backed away, letting her sensitive body fall to a heap in front of his door.

"You may leave, however my brothers are awaiting your presence outside that door, and I am not responsible for their actions once you are out of my presence."

Indeed, the miko could feel three lurking auras outside. She was starting to be able to distinguish between the auras, so she knew the passive aggressive aura was Laito, the wildest aura was Kanato, and the largest, most attention demanding aura was Ayato. Like true predators, they were waiting for her to come back to them.

"It's just tea?" She questioned suspiciously.

"Tea, and your company." Reiji was already walking away, heading for a small, round table that was set up in the center of the room.

She sensed no hostility from the aristocrat vampire and could see no reason for an attack. He was not acting suspiciously, merely superior, but the young woman was starting to think that was his usual personality. So she cautiously edged forward, eyeing and cataloging her surroundings.

The room might have once been a bedroom, but was now transformed into a laboratory. A marble fireplace was set to burn a pile of logs, giving the room warmth. Shelves dominated the room, and even more wooden cabinets were displayed. Two walls were dominated by bookshelves, their shelves filled to the brim with tomes of all ages. A single purple chair was set in front of the bookshelves, yet still within reach of the fireplace's warm glow.

Along the back of the room, various plants and beakers were set up. Some chemicals were in liquid form, while others were already made into powder or pills. The bright deadly flowers revealed that some of the plants were poisonous, while others were harmless. It was an intriguing display, one that made her cautious upon sight.

Reiji, ever the gentleman, pulled out one of the decorated chairs by the tea table for her, letting her take her seat, before pushing the chair in. On the table before them, a single teapot and two teacups were set up. The miko eyed the display, and she didn't miss the the smirk the older vampire couldn't quite hide.

"Nothing here will harm you," he assured.

"Except you." Kagome was not surprised that the vampire did not deny her claim. In the short time that she knew Reiji, he had proven that he was not a liar.

She watched as he poured the tea in both cups, not wasting a drop. He then used a nearby spoon to stir both cups, the burgundy liquid swirling with the movement. After he was done, Reiji paused, waiting for her to pick up her cup.

"I won't drink first," she warned. She had too much experience to be fooled and she had learned long ago to never take the first sip.

"It will not harm you." Kagome only raised an eyebrow, which prompted the vampire to raise his cup to his lips. She waited until she saw his adam's apple bob twice, and the sound of slurping filled the air. It was clear that he had drank messily on purpose, displaying that he was truly drinking the tea, before bringing the cup back down and letting it rest on the table.

_'It is not always the liquid, miko. Never trust your host.'_ Deep, haunting words echoed from the dark shadows of her memory.

She lifted her own cup, but did not drink from it. She leaned over, ignoring how his eyes flickered down to her chest, before dumping some of her own tea into Reiji's cup. Not all of it, choosing to evenly split it between the two cups.

"Together," she commanded, leaving no room for argument.

It was only then that she let the cup touch her lips, matching the movement of the vampire across of it. She nearly purred at the strong taste. Kagome did not know many teas, but this one was divine. It was dark, smooth, and strong, sliding over her tongue and down her throat with ease.

Across from her, Reiji copied her sips.

"It is delicious," Kagome spoke without thinking.

"Indeed. A specialty brand that I created myself." The sound of his voice was sudden hypnotizing, catching all of her attention and thoughts.

She could feel the effect of the tea nearly instantly. Warmth spread from her tongue through her body, reaching the farthest tips of her fingers and toes. Her muscles relaxed, letting her body slump comfortably into the plush chair behind her. Finally, her mind was muddled, racing with too many thoughts to focus on.

"You drugged me," she accused, though she was not surprise.

"You drugged me," was his response.

_'So it was in my cup, not the tea.'_

"How harmful is it?" A part of her knew she should be more concerned, but her mind couldn't focus on such an emotion.

"It is harmless. A simple truth serum to help you relax." His gloved hand was idly tracing the rim of his cup. Around. Around. And around.

_'A truth serum?'_ That was a tame idea when compared to the many poisonous plants behind them. She had expected the vampires to have grown tired of her attacks, thus choosing to euthanize her like the unruly pet they considered her to be. But a truth serum? "How powerful is it?" She didn't realize her voice spoke her thought.

"How do you wield reiki offensively?"

She didn't want to answer. She wanted the jewel to purify her of this serum, but her tongue was already moving, prompt to attention like a well-trained solider. "My reiki is controlled by my emotions and the Shikon no Tama. I can wield basic attacks on my own but the larger attacks, and the healing, are controlled by the jewel."

Why had she answered that? She didn't want to speak! She simply thought the answer, and her tongue spoke it. She was too relaxed, speaking without thinking about her words.

Reiji looked proud, and intrigued by her answer. Her finger had paused its tracing, but his eyes were now tracing over her. No doubt taking in her words and weighing them. Kagome was memorized by the look of concentration on his face, so she quickly noticed when his mouth opened again.

"No," she squeaked out. "Quid pro quo. You're affected by the tea too, and if I'm going to talk, so will you." She knew he was going to protest the idea, the downturn of his lips revealed that, so she quickly blurted out, "Can you eat garlic?"

There was a pause, a very tense pause, before Reiji answered. "The rumors of mortals never cease to amaze me. We can enjoy a variety of food, though mortal substance will not sustain us and flavor fades if we do not have blood within our bodies. Personally, I enjoy the taste of garlic when paired with a good pasta but Subaru avoids it."

"And sunlight? Crosses?" Kagome was quick to add a new question. She had to keep the vampire talking, until the tea went through her system or the jewel healed her. As long as Reiji was talking, there was less chance that she would be forced to answer questions. The idea of the advance predators knowing more about her made her shiver. If she was going to survive, she needed secrets.

"Vampires are nocturnal by nature, an instinct that dates back to our creation, though this instinct is no longer needed, we can only ignore it in dire need. Sunlight does not burn us, but our eyes and skin are naturally sensitive to the light.

"Crosses are mere shapes. It was priest and mortal men who created the rumor in a false hope of giving security to mortals. It does nothing to us. In fact, our last bride was fond of crosses and we were often taking it from her as punishment."

She was trying to find a weakness to exploit, but so far, all she was doing was defacing rumors that she yet to place hope in. "Do you have a weakness?" She blurted out gracelessly.

Reiji's grip around his teacup tightened, shattering the small glassware and sending shards flying. He was glaring at his clenched hand, his body tensed and still. "If you do not follow our agreement, I will punish you." Narrowed red orbs dared her to define him, and a shiver raced down her spine. Fear? Arousal? Defiance? She chose to not question it in her current state. "As a species, we have a few weaknesses."

He was adapting fast. He was answering her questions, but now giving unsatisfactory answers. His moment of weakness was passing as he adapted, but the miko was learning at the same time as he.

"When did you gain possession of this jewel?"

Now that was a tough question. When did she come into possession of the jewel? She had it for a long time now, as far back as her faulty memory can recall. Was there a time when she didn't have the Shikon no Tama?

"I . . . don't remember. I wasn't in charge of creating the journals." Kagome was quick to try and gain the advantage again. "Ex-"

"If the next words you speak are not an explanation of your previous sentence, then you will not speak. I still have two questions before we are even.

"What is your weakness, little miko?"

Nothing. She had no weakness. She had endless power at our command, when the jewel chose to obey her. She had an intelligent companion by her side. She could not die, no matter how her execution was carried out. The only obvious gap in her power, was her spotty, limited memory. Her mortal brain, which was not capable of storing more than one lifetime of memory.

"I don't remember." She didn't. She didn't remember a lot of things. She didn't know her birthday. She didn't remember the names of her original companions. She didn't even remember all the places she had been. That was what the journals were for.

Her answers was insignificant, she could tell by how Reiji was now leaning forward, like a wolf about to pounce. He was quick tempered, and she had finally snapped his patience.

"Do you find humor in undermining my commands? How do we not frighten you, mortal?" He leaped to his feet, his gloved palms slamming down on the table and rattling the nearby dishes.

She couldn't help it. A taunting smirk pulled on her lips and she fluttered her eyelashes innocently. Her mind was finding the situation funny, and another part of her was enjoying the sight of his dominating nature. It seemed the serum made her too relaxed, destroying her self-preservation instincts. "Is that your final question?"

He moved quickly. One second, Kagome was sitting at the table, and the next, she was pinned to the bookshelves behind her. Both of her wrists were bound in one of his, and pinned above her head. His larger, longer legs, were pressed on either side of her own. He used his own body to press against her, pinning her in place. Behind her, she could feel multiple shelves digging her her back, shoulder and legs. His free hand was resting on her hip, pulling her lower body against his.

A trace of desire raced through her, despite her trying desperately to ignore it.

She felt drunk. Her mind was fuzzy, her thoughts slowed, and the thoughts that did get completed, were full of intoxicated truth. Her instincts, which had once been sharp, were dulled.

_'This is why he wouldn't let me drink sake.'_ Who? She didn't know, and right now, she didn't care to search for the memory of a name, long gone.

She leaned forward, brushing her lips purposely against the shell of Reiji's ear. Feminine pride filled her when she felt the vampire stiffened, and his grip tightened on her. "You don't scare me, vampire. There's nothing you can do, that I haven't experienced."

Pain. Agony. Submission. Happiness. There was nothing they could do, that she hadn't explored or experienced in her long life.

"You should not lie," fangs clipped together next to her ear, causing her to jolt in surprise.

A breathy gasp escaped her as she brushed against something hard, and defiantly male.

"I miscalculated the amount of maca to put in," Reiji's lips brushed her ear with each word. Their bodies were moving as one, pushing and pulling against each other. Kagome was horrified to feel her body moving an ancient dance she had never participated in. Each roll of her hips pressed her against him, which only excited the vampire more.

"You used an aphrodisiac on me?" Her voice was more breathy than she would have liked.

"A side effect I thought I could control. I used maca to reduce any anxiety you might have felt in my presence."

Warmth was traveling through her body, warming her blood and pooling behind her naval. It was not the first time she was aroused but the incredible feeling never ceased to amaze her. It was like a talon was tightening in her body, clenching tight and relaxing with each movement Reiji made.

"Let me down," she breathed out.

"Answer my questions."

Why wasn't the jewel cleansing her body? The marble size ball was silent, ignoring its host and her body. Was Laito right and seduction was the way to deceive her powerful guardian?

"Put me down, and we can talk." She wanted to be free before her confused, lustful body prompted her to do something stupid.

"I don't want to talk." Kami, was he pushing closer against her? "I want honest answers."

Fuck, she was still moving against him. Each push against her filled her with more warmth, enticing her to do it again.

"One answer."

"Three," was his immediate reply.

"Two."

A gloved hand trailed along her side, traveling over her soft hips, past her breasts, slowly over her shoulders, before coming to wrap around her throat. The grip was not deadly, his glove flushed against her throat without harming her. It was demanding, dominating, without being crushing. She blamed the maca for the fact that the touch seemed to excited her more than terrify her.

"This is not a negotiation, miko," she felt the growl vibrating in his chest, and his fingers tightened slightly.

"Three." She would agree to anything to put some distance between them. The feelings he, or the aphrodisiac, was awakening was terrifying her. She had yet to explore lust this heavily, and she didn't trust her body anymore.

He released her without warning. Her jelly-like legs could not support her weight so suddenly and she collapsed. She braced herself on her palms, her legs folding beneath her, while the too-large pants she had stolen were gaping and revealing her underwear.

What a sight she must have made.

"Tell me how a miko lives to this day." Blood red eyes glared down at her, towering over her fallen form. "Make the answer satisfactory."

"It's simple, I outlived the time when we were plentiful. That's all I can tell you. It's all I remember." She remembered endless days. She had seen the world change. She had left her fellow mikos and priest, die off one by one. Only she remained. Only she outlived her needfulness.

"These journals you keep referring to, what is contained in them?"

"Everything."

There was a tense silence as the two supernatural beings stared at each other. She was waiting for his third question, and he was watching her carefully. The fire crackled nearby, its warmth timid when compared to the blaze that was still in her gut. It was her experience that the supernatural was always good looking. It was a lure for the mortals who were unaware of their dangerous presence.

Reiji was no exception. He stood with a perfect posture. His suit was custom made, displaying every curve of his body. The air around him reeked with superiority and his face was carved from stone like a piece of art. Perfect nose. Bright, dazzling eyes. She was immortal, but she was not immune to the allure the predators around her gave off.

"What's your third question?" she finally asked when the silence stretched too far.

"I will be saving that question for a later date," Reiji turned his back and strolled back to the table they had previously been seated at.

"That's not fair," she protested loudly. She didn't want someone to have something over her head. Who knows what Reiji may research or find out? It was better to get him to talk now, before he could formulate a more revealing question.

"That is my decision." He had gathered the teapot and cups, including the one he shattered, and was placing them aside, cleaning up the table. "You should go to your room, and sleep off the aphrodisiac."

"That's it?" She was free? He was not going to harass her anymore or take advantage of the drug still in her blood? It was . . . different than what she expected.

"The aphrodisiac was the a side effect, one that I was unable to control. I will not take advantage of a flaw in my serum." He turned to face her once more, and she was enchanted by the self-assured smirk pulling on his lips. "A lady, no matter how uncultured, will come to me on her own free will."

. ~: . V . :~ .

Kagome had a feeling that Reiji had spoken with the brothers not long after her exit from the laboratory, because they weren't waiting for her when she came out. As she stumbled her way back to her room, on unsteady legs, none of them tracked her down or waited for her in the room. It was hard to believe that they did this on their own free will, since she knew she reeked of lust and intoxicating scents as the maca was still wrecking havoc on her emotions.

She managed to get herself back into bed, and then fell unconscious, letting her body naturally cleanse itself.

It was barking, and nails scrapping against hardwood, that woke her up the next night. She knew that sound, it had haunted her since Mamoru had been a pup. So she naturally rolled onto her side, and curling into the fetal position, just in time to be pounced on.

As quickly as the weight was thrown on her, it was gone. Playful yips filled the air and beneath that, Kagome could hear Mamoru scrambling around her room. She peeked open one eye, and was unsurprised to see a red streak racing around her small dwelling.

"What the hell are you doing?" She demanded loudly, yet her canine ignore her for his prey.

With a loud yip, he lunged upwards. Powerful jaws snapped closed, catching something large and brown between his teeth. His front paws heavy slammed down, and he raised his head to proudly display his catch.

"Is that a bat?" It was defiantly a large mammal between his teeth, its leathery wings flapping fruitlessly against his lips. "That's so stereotypical." A vampire lair filled with bats. A suddenly wicked idea entered her mind. "That wouldn't be one of the Sakamaki brothers, would it?"

Mamoru huffed, rolling his golden eyes._ 'I'll take that as a no.'_ "Worth a shot."

As suddenly as he arrived, Mamoru turned around and trotted off with his prize. "Wait, Mamoru." Reiji would literally kill him if Mamoru left the bat to rot in whatever lair he had created. With the uncivilized lifestyle the pair had been living in for the past two decades, Mamoru would have no issues with leaving a body to rot, preferably in a dark corner only he could find later. The mix-blooded canine ignored her, leaving Kagome to scramble after him. "Mamoru!"

Once Mamoru realized he was being chased, the mischievous dog considered it a new game. Steadily his long legs increased their pace, causing the miko behind him to start jogging to keep up. Teasingly he tossed his head back, throwing the carcass into the air, before snapping it up again and sprinting around the corner. She was no longer trying to take the dead bat away, but playing with her friend like two young pups.

Soon, miko and canine, were racing through the manor. Down hallways, down stairs, through rooms, and finally out the kitchen's backdoor to the grounds stretching behind the home. Feeling grass beneath her bare toes, the cool dew of the midnight night kissing her bare soles, Kagome felt confident enough to leap forward, her arms outstretched, so she could tackle the canine.

They fell in a tangled heap, Mamoru's mouth flying open in surprise as she hit the floor. Miko and canine tussled back and forth playfully. She pulled on his round ears, so he stomped on her soft stomach. She nipped at his paws, so his teeth clipped together just a hair above her nose.

Somehow, Mamoru ended up pinning Kagome to the grassy floor. His two front paws were placed on her shoulders, and his back legs flanked her hips. His short muzzle was nuzzled into the hollow of her throat, the wet touch of teeth pressed against her vulnerable neck.

The simple huff against her throat was his winning declaration._ 'Yield.'_

"I relent," she was laughing as she pushed the canine's muzzle away from her throat, and the larger dog let her.

"You give in too easily."

"You don't have the right to tell me that." The miko glared at at the blonde vampire, who had draped himself against the stone steps behind them. "You rarely do anything from what I've seen."

"Oh?" His passive tone was mocking, she just knew it. "Would you gather I join the hoards trying to bite you?" Blue eyes lazily trailed up her body, before locking on throat. "Your neck is begging to be bitten."

Mamoru's low growl accompanied the pink sparks that flitted across her fingertips. "Try it," was her simple challenge. Mamoru took a protective step in front of her, angling his body so it spread out as much as possible in front of Kagome, while staring at Shu.

Shu's gaze moved from Kagome to Mamoru. "He is an odd breed."

_'That's a strange change of topic.'_ "Mamoru's a mutt," Kagome murmured fondly. Mamoru's round ears perked up, knowing he was the topic of conversation now.

"He's an impossibility."

"His ancestors were ookami demons. Nothing is an impossibility. Demons have adaptive natures and bloodlines."

"As do vampires. But even we can only adapt our bloodlines so much." Shu brought his knee up to his chest so he could rest his forearm on it. He pointed to Mamoru's face, causing the dog to snap at the air in warning. "African Wild Dog," Kagome assumed he was pointing at Mamoru's round ears. "Red Maned Wolf," his finger dipped low to Mamoru's abnormally long legs. "Coyote," now he was pointing to the bushy, short tail. "His face reminds me of a grey wolf, but it's wrong."

". . . You know your canines." Mamoru puffed out his chest, obviously prideful of his heritage. "I'm sure Mamoru has some grey wolf in his blood, somewhere. I think you're referring to the hokkaido bloodlines though. Mamoru may be the last canine in the world with hokkaido in him."

Shu didn't appear to be paying attention. Instead, he pursed his lips together and a sharp whistle cut through the air. Mamoru did not moved towards him, choosing to stand his ground in front of his mistress.

"He is quite disloyal too. He was my companion until this morning."

Morning? What significant event had happened this morning? Perhaps it was Reiji's tea the night before and the actions that followed it that changed the balance.

"Mamoru is intelligent but all ookami yokais will follow their instincts foremost." Kagome's hands dipped down to fondly rub his round ears. "Wolves need an alpha to follow, and until recently, that was me. The appearance of your family has upset the balance though. His instincts are confused."

"So are ours."

_'That was an interesting thing to say.'_ "What do you mean?"

"You, woman."

_'It was like pulling teeth! Shu's lazy responses are giving me little information, if any.'_ "I'm upsetting your instincts?"

"So noisy."

"I'll quiet down if you'll answer my question," she purposely pitched her voice so it would be annoying. Even Mamoru's ears flew back and a whine escaped his throat in protest.

"Vampires have adaptive instincts, which is why we have survived for so long. Subaru's mother kept journals about this. Go bother him."

_'Adaptive?'_ "Shu," she whined, watching in glee as the vampire flinch from the sharp sound.

"There's nothing to explain, you ignorant woman. Vampires adapt to their surroundings in a way that will help them survive."

"So, say for survival, you had to mimic spotted hyenas, can you?"

"We can hunt in packs if that is what you are asking."

"Orcas? Meerkats? Elephants?"

"We can not grow gills but we can withstand being underwater for long periods of time." His eye dulled and his fingers twitched, the only reaction he gave to that question. "We do naturally have dominating personalities but our noses will not grow. If a coven is established, we have been known to raise our offsprings together, similar to meerkats. My brothers and I grew up together, despite having different mothers." He bowed his head, letting some of the blonde curls fall into his face. Despite that, blue eyes was locked on her, freezing her in place with his heavy gaze. "Are you satisfied with the answers you were seeking, today?"

"I've learn more than I thought I would," she admitted quietly.

"Then silence yourself. You ruined the game." He snapped his fingers, and the forgotten bat carcass that was left in the grass, disappeared in a puff of murky purple smoke.

Instantly Mamoru's focus was on Shu. His tufted tail was wagging hesitantly, watching the vampire intently. As Kagome watch, Shu's moved his hand so his palm was facing up, and dark energy, similar to her own reiki, glowed in his palm. From the energy, a small ball of fur grew, before stretching its leathery wings. Blue eyes, the same as its summoner's, looked around before it took to the sky.

Against her leg, Kagome could feel Mamoru tensing. His muscles locked, and his eyes gleefully watched the confused mammal. He refused the move though, unwilling to leave his mistress without a guard.

The bat gave a small noise and flew closer to the canine. His wings playfully tapped Mamoru's nose, teasing his instincts, before darting away. Shu's creation was trying to get Mamoru to play, and Kagome could not sense any ill intentions, from the bat or Shu. So the miko nudged the canine, sending him forward a step.

"Go on." Given permission, Mamoru barked and took off after the bat, chasing it around the grounds.

Alone, but not wanting to go inside, Kagome decided to sit on the grass. She watched Mamoru chase the creature, playfully dodging around various flowers and up and down the stone steps. Shu was quiet, his eyes only for the red canine.

_'Their greatest strength can be their greatest weaknesses. To adapt, is to survive. To if I prove that if they are submissive, they will survive without harm. There might be a way for all of us to exist together.'_

_'It's not like I have any other long-lived creatures to be around, and I'm tired of being alone.'_

. ~: . V . :~ .

Subaru never thought he would be back to this location. The dark, house unnerved him. It was too much like that forbidden tower. He could feel three heartbeats inside, and the musky smell of tears and misery. His hands clenched into fists as violent tendencies raged through him.

Reiji's face and voice echoed through his mind, ordering him around like a dog. "Bastard."

Subaru didn't bother asking why he didn't send one of the other brothers. Shu would be too lazy to come. Laito would probably molest the only female in the house, while Ayato would be looking for a fight. Kanato, well Kanato was too much of a wild card and would murder the whole household.

He moved silently through the house, like a shadow running from the moonlight. He followed the weakening scent of the miko, finding himself back in the overly pink room from before. Her scent still lingered in the sheets, and the scent of mourning was stronger in here.

He moved to the bookshelves that were ignored before. He immediately knew what he was searching for. On the middle shelf, was an assortment of hand bound leather journals. Eight in total, each one reeking of paper and ink. So these are what occupied Reiji's mind recently.

He grabbed the second book and flipped it to a random page. His eyes scanned the hand written entries. The words were written in an older tongue than was common, and the yellow pages crinkled as he turned them.

Each one was a documentary of their miko's journal. Each entry revealed more about the strange woman they had claimed. Thousands of pages, each containing information about their immortal miko and the lives she had lived.

Subaru snapped the journal closed and grabbed the rest. Reiji had demanded them all and Subaru would give them all to him. Besides, if the journals were stored in their manor, Subaru could read them later, as his pleasure.

The sound of feet padding down the hallway went unnoticed, until the bedroom door creaked open. Subaru would not admit that he was startled, but he did turn to glare at the intruder, ready to kill whoever had snuck up on the advanced predator.

A young boy stood in the doorway. He was thin, and only came up to the middle of Subaru's chest. It was impossible to tell his age, as vampire children aged differently than human offsprings, but Subaru guessed he was a little over his first decade. Familiar black hair, the same, wide eyes, and a similar aura greeted him. This, was the young sibling Subaru had glimpsed before, comforting their miko after a nightmare.

The boy didn't seem surprised to see a man in his sister's room. His hand rested on the door's edge, while his other hand nervously fiddled with his pajama shirt. He was analyzing Subaru, and the youngest vampire could feel the weakest trace of holy power fruitlessly attempting to assess his aura.

"Is she safe?" Was the only question he asked.

Was Kagome safe? She was not at first, but all the vampires could feel a strange shift in the air as her presence started to dominate the area they were in. She was not safe from harm, but something deep in Subaru's soul, told him that she would not be killed. "She is safe."

"She's not coming back, is she?"

"No." The Sakamaki brothers would not let her come back. The miko belonged to them now, and they were having difficulties between themselves. There was no need to add a fragile, mortal family to that.

"I always knew she would leave sooner or later. It destroyed her to lose us the first time, and then her friends in the past. It would have broken her to watch us age and die, losing us all over again. I just wish she would have said good-bye first."

Subaru stayed quiet, unwilling to tell the younger siblings that she was kidnapped while she slept. That the man this boy was speaking to, had a hand in taking his sister from him.

"Just do me a favor?" The boy didn't pause for an answer. "Write an entry about us in the journals. I don't want her to forget us."

"I . . . can do that." It was the least Subaru could promise. For the boy, he was losing his sister. For Kagome, she might not even remember them in a few centuries.

"Thank you."

Only the quiet breeze answered back in its soft voice, the only witness to the promised exchange between the youngest brothers.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Days passed. The prey and predators fell into an odd routine. Kagome slept alone, and spent her days alone. Sometimes, when she was cooking, she would have a visitor or two. Usually, one of the brothers would join her, eating with her before annoying her for a few hours. Mamoru, if he wasn't playing with one Shu's familiars, would chase them away after some time. When she went to bed, she could feel the auras of the brothers lurking nearby, on guard and tense. Since that first night though, she had yet to re-experience any nightmares.

It was during one of these routine days, that the vampires decided to switch how their attention, and desires, were displayed.

Laito was standing in the kitchen, being kept a good distance away by Mamoru's piercing gaze. Ayato had managed to sneak a little closer, but he too did not attempt to pass Mamoru to get to her. She could feel their auras fluctuating, but she did not feel like they were attempting to dominate or challenge her. Instead, she could feel their focus on Mamoru, as they tried to assert themselves as alphas to the mutt.

_'They eavesdropped on my conversation with Shu.'_

Mamoru was not being fooled. Instead, he seemed to be taunting the boys by moving forward a step, as if accepting their dominance, before snapping playfully at them and moving back. As a reward, Kagome 'accidentally' dropped some meat on the floor for him.

"Hato?"

Kagome paused, watching the meat sizzle in the pan. "Which bird are you referring too?" She had been meaning to ask for several days now and she only got the chance now.

"Does it matter?"

Does it? Ayato referred to himself as Yours Truly, Reiji called Shu some insulting name in another language, and Kanato talked to himself at times. Odd habits and insulting nicknames seemed to be normal in this coven. Laito was either calling her dove or pigeon, and frankly, Kagome would like to believe he was complimenting her and it means dove.

"I guess not."

"Hato, would you like to try something fun?" She did not like that perverse tone.

"No."

Laito dared to take a step forward, forcing a snarl from Mamoru. "I wasn't really asking," that dark, threatening tone was back.

Out of habit, Kagome felt her reiki travel her body, filling the air with tension. Instead of forcing the vampire back or make him apprehensive, Laito got excited, an even wider grin appearing as he eyed the sparks along her fingertips. Ayato had fallen quiet, seemingly confused, as he gazed back and forth between his excited brother and the miko.

This game of cat and mouse was quickly growing old. Kagome was tempted to just strike out, clearing the room of the darker creatures, when Laito put his hands up in a universal sign of surrender. The actions was enough to make Kagome pause, unsure of what his motives were.

"I'll only touch you with one finger," Laito tried to negotiate. An eyebrow went up and Kagome shook her head. She was a virgin but she wasn't clueless. A lot of touching, and damage, can happen with one finger. "One finger, on your palm," Laito quickly modified.

Instincts are never forgotten. Even in humans, they are there, under the surface. For a mortal who had been taught by a various amounts of yokais, the instincts were even stronger. There was a tingle on the back of her neck, a telling that whatever was going to happen, was a bad idea. However, her gut wasn't in knots, so there was no murderous intention surrounding her. Still, she knew it was a bad idea.

Kagome never did like to listen to her instincts though.

"You have to stay an arm-length away," she warned.

Laito stretched his arm out as far as it would, dangerously reaching over Mamoru, who now had his ears flat against his skull as he glared at the limb.

_'Too easy. Too easy.'_ The warning voice in her head was going off, but Kagome felt confident. She was -_mostly_\- out of grabbing range. With the counter behind her, and Mamoru in front of her, no one could sneak up on her. Fangs would be kept firmly away from her. The only trouble she could foresee, is if Laito made a grab at her wrist, but she knew Mamoru would not hesitate to tear off his arm if so.

So she shuffled a step forward and extended her hand, with her palm facing Laito. One shuffle forward and his forefinger was firmly pressed against the center of her palm, using enough pressure that she could feel a slight indentation.

Nothing happened.

What little she could feel of his skin was warm. His nail was a little long but it wasn't sharp. His fingertip was callused, as if he had a working job. There seemed to be absolutely nothing unique about Laito's touch. Nothing.

She looked up at the vampire in confusion. Laito's eyes were on her hand though, his harlequin green eyes narrowed in concentration. Kagome felt the change. The air felt colder, and the familiar aura she was growing use to, grew darker. She glanced down to where they were joined, ready to pull apart, but Laito had yet to move.

She felt the first lash of dark energy. It stung like a whip, attacking her quickly before retreating. In response, the jewel inside Kagome lashed back. Unlike Laito's attack, Kagome's reiki was visible, as small pink strands, and they could see her fighting back.

Ayato took a concerned step forward, but Kagome and Laito were too focused to notice. The next attack from Laito was softer, not quite as violent as before. More like a bee sting, than a lashing. Kagome didn't feel threatened anymore, and she tried to suppress her reiki, but the jewel still attacked back, though it was softer this time.

The furrow between Laito's eyes deepened and one last swell of energy came forward. Instead of a sting or a lash, it was like an oppressive cloud slowing cloaking its way over her arm, starting at her palm. The response was instantaneous as the Shikon no Tama mimicked the attack. Pushing the dark aura back. At first, Laito let her, and then his own will increased.

The two opposing energies met in the center. Neither one was using more energy than the other, and two were in a constant pull and push motion, all of it center on their hands, where their bodies touched.

A shiver raced down Kagome's spine. _Push_. Her own energy was warm, like the sunrise. _Pull_. Laito's energy was heavy, like a mist at night. _Push_. She felt a rush of power as her energy attempted to overpower Laito's aura. _Pull_. She felt a splash of submission as Laito's energy met her increase with its own, keeping them in balance.

_Push and pull._ The combination was heady, and slightly hypnotizing. _Pull and push._ A perfect combination of good and evil, light and dark. Both filled with their own powers, equal right now, but with the potential to overpower.

A small needy whimper escaped the miko has her body clenched, reacting to the display.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Whatever his brother was doing to the miko was intoxicating. Her scent had grown stronger, and sweeter. Her reiki nipped at the air, giving a teasing challenge that Ayato wanted to answer. It was mouth watering on its own but the power struggle between the two auras, as different as day and night, along with the sharp tang on Laito's arousal had him shivering. His tongue swiped across a fang as he imagined her taste.

The gap between Laito and Kagome shrunk as he watched, his brother daring to take a step forward. Both of them were so focused on the exchange of power though that they didn't realize it. Her hand had fallen close, wrapping itself around Laito's finger.

His brother took another step forward, this one echoed by the ragged mutt's snarl.

For a moment, Ayato debated letting the mongrel attack his triplet. It would serve him right. Laito was not paying attention, like a predator should be, and he was touching what didn't belong to him. However, if the dog bit his brother, the weird connection between them would break and instead of being a delicious, shivering target in front of him, Kagome's temper would spike and she would try to attack them.

Again.

"You're lucky to be protected by Yours Truly," Ayato grumbled under his breath.

His hand snaked out, grabbing a harsh handful of the dog's scruff. The mutt wiggled, snapping his jaws together as he tried to free himself but Ayato determinedly dragged him away, removing the last barrier between the two supernatural beings.

He managed to drag the snarling beast to the kitchen doorway. The large bulk of fur was fighting, his nails scrapping across the floor, saliva flying in all directions as he tried to free himself. Ayato reached out with his free hand to push the door open, when the limb came too close to Mamoru.

The canine hybrid managed to latched his teeth into Ayato's palm. The vampire could feel hot breath, a moist muscle, and sharp pain. A combination that he normally wouldn't object too, if not for the fact that Mamoru's teeth was leaving a dull fire, like weak poison, in the wake of his bite.

His leg swung out, harshly connecting with the mutt's ribs, and sending him soaring into the nearby dining room. His body made a dull thud as it connected with the wall, and before he could recover, Ayato slammed the kitchen door shut and locked it. Another dull thud echoed from the other side of the door as the mutt slammed its weight into it, again and again.

When he turned away, the two had grown closer. They were chest to chest, their hands now fully entwined, and trapped between their bodies. The scent had grown stronger, a heady mixture that lingered in his very lungs. Ayato took a deep breath, letting the scent frolic in his nostrils. He was drunk, drugged, and aroused, and from the glazed look into Laito's eyes, his triplet was under the same spell.

He moved without thought. He joined his brother's side, and together, they managed to push the miko against the fridge. Ayato's nose found itself buried into the left side of her neck, while Laito mimicked the action on the other side. Her free hand reached up to Ayato's chest, her bare finger tips pressing against the exposed skin of his chest that his loose shirt revealed.

She pushed spiritually. There was no hostility though, merely a teasing pinch. Ayato's chest rumbled at the touch, and he spiked his own aura. Not to conquer, not to submit, but to match her equally.

It was worth it when a throaty moan escaped her lush lips.

Ayato scrapped his teeth against her neck, a reward for her beautiful cries.

Her whole body jerked forward, moving sensually against him. A reward of his own. One that, judging from Laito's sharp thrust forward, he was enjoying too.

The air was getting thicker. They could all hear her heartbeat, racing with excitement and her legs were tensing repeatedly, torn between kicking out and pulling them closer. Whimpers were escaping her now, wordless cries, or helpless whimpers, it no longer matter to them. A sharp growl escaped Ayato, one that tampered to a soothing rumble that had worked on many females before.

. ~: . V . :~ .

It was an indescribable sensation. She was only vaguely aware of the two bodies pressed against her. All she could focus on was the hypnotizing touch of their auras, coaxing and arousing her own into action. She had been faced with other powerful auras in the past but the difference between hers and theirs was extreme, like jumping back and forth between a cold pool and a jacuzzi.

A pair of teeth scrapped against her neck, the sharp edges of the fangs sending shivers down her spine. She couldn't help it when she arched her neck to the side, displaying more skin. An encouraging rumble seemed to echo around her, the vibrations a welcomed sensation against her chest.

She only dimly aware of two sets of hands on her, and two different mouths, one tracing her shoulder, while the other traced her neck. One hand was trailing the length of her hip and leg. While another one was shamelessly holding her right breast, cupping and weighing it in his palm.

Another whimper escaped her.

Someone was nibbling on the lobe of her ear, catching the edges with his fangs, and blowing hot into it. The warmth of his panting breath seemed to spread through her body before settling between her legs.

"Lewd woman."

The slow, lazy drawl broke her out of whatever trance she was in. Kagome gasped, as if breathing air for the first time, which made the vampires pressing against her pause too. Startled blue eyes cleared of their haze, to see two pairs of green eyes looking down at her.

Suddenly the reiki that was in balance surged with power, dominating and destroying the darker energies around her. Wisely, the two brothers retreated, their own eyes still glazed, and Laito had a deep blush across his nose and cheeks. The only one not affected was Shu, who was seated at the kitchen island, his chin rested in the palm of one of his hands.

"I was unaware you were so wanton."

Kagome's cloudy mind wouldn't focus on too many things at the moment. Her body felt like it was still full of electricity, humming with pleasure and pain in an intoxicating mix. She didn't want them to touch, yet, yet another part of her craved more of the feeling. To feel perfectly balance, her purity finally balanced with the corrupted of the world. _It was amazing._

"What the fuck was that?" She did not pant, but her breath might have had a little gasp in the center.

Laito was shamelessly panting, his eyes roaming over her figure hungrily. "I found a journal from that man. Apparently that's a trick he learned to seduce his own mikos. I never thought it would work so well."

"That -" she took a deep shuddering breath, attempting to calm her body. "That has never happened to me before."

Laito laughed quietly, his eyes becoming hooded. "Apparently there's a difference between vampires and yokais. We are pure darkness, where your demons are different. Changes the energy of a person or something." His eyes flickered to Ayato, a faint light appearing in his pupils. "I was never good at studying."

Ayato shrugged, either unwilling or unable to add more to Laito's comments.

"That was an interesting reaction." Shu's quiet voice seemed loud to Kagome's ears. "I wonder if I can make you release those sounds."

The feelings weren't going away. Her body was still humming, her legs were trembling and her fingers were uselessly grasping onto the edge of her shirt. It was like she still had one of that mixed energy in her bloodstream. It was coursing through her veins, gaining strength, forcing her heart to beat and desire to tightened behind her naval. It was demanding to be freed, and Kagome felt weaker to its demands the longer she lingered in the presence of the three vampires.

_'Why wasn't it going away? What exactly did Laito and Ayato do to her?'_

"Excuse me," she squeaked out as she got to her trembling legs and bolted from the kitchen.

. ~: . V . :~ .

Kagome had never been blessed with the strong nose of the supernatural, but one could only take remarks for so long before they started to learn what does leave a scent and what doesn't. Even if she could not smell it herself, she had developed a six sense of when a scent was developing.

So she knew she reeked of Laito, and Ayato. Her body was still in turmoil too, so she knew she was smelling pretty sweet too. The warm ache between her legs was not helping that aspect, giving off its own aroma.

She truly admire the vampire brothers' ability to simply disappear. She wanted that ability right now, to disappear and appear where she wants. Instead she had to forced herself to walk, leaving behind a trial for any pesky vampire to follow. Her legs were still trembling, her aura was in rapid fluctuation, and she could still feel desire grasping onto her, tightening around her naval.

"Bath. I need a bath," she firmly decided. A warm bath always made her feel better after a long day.

Reaching the tiled room was easy. She didn't remember stripping of her clothes, or running the water. It was like she was intoxicated. Her steps were heavy, her mind was full of fog and time didn't want to follow a pattern. The only thing she was aware of was the tightening arousal in her naval, and her blood racing in turmoil in her veins.

The next thing she was aware of, she was naked and submerged in a tub of warm water. The heated liquid lapped gently at her skin, soothing her spirit but doing little for her body. Kagome gave a deep sigh and sank deeper into the water, submerging everything from her neck down. Still, she was tense and her nerves were on fire.

Absentmindedly, she ran a hand down her submerged arm, her sensitive skin reacting to the lightest touch and she could nearly feel her nerves tingling underneath. She could even feel her aura, reacting to the smallest touch and demanding more. It was not the first time Kagome had felt desire. She had lived for over five centuries, it would be foolish to think otherwise.

It was the first time she had been affected so strongly though, and by a dark creature that should have been repelled by her own aura. Her body was not happy, despite her thoughts that spoke otherwise. Twice now, it had been teased and denied desire, and it pulsed with demand now.

She ran her hand down her side, feeling her ribs slightly underneath her fingertips. She stroked her hip, just barely grazing her skin with her nails. Gently. Softly. The muscles of her legs twitched at her touch, her body tensing even more at her questing touch.

She was not blind, nor was she stupid. She could admit all of the brothers were handsome, on some level. She also understood that it was all a lure, to draw prey towards them. And it worked fantastically at times. It was working on her, constantly.

It was like a mouse crouched before a dancing serpent, and she was the mouse. She knew it was bad. She knew they were deadly. But she was still attracted to them, and strangely fascinated. Now, all she had to do was wait for the fatal bite that she knew was going to happen sooner or later.

A quiet whimper escaped her throat as her fingers now teased her inner thighs. Teasing, but not touching the heat, the center of her desire. Her other hand had taken to delicately stroking her stomach, feeling the flat muscles react with each touch.

Sex was nothing new to her. Pleasure was a common subject. She got lonely, and something she only had herself. She had long ago grew jaded towards sexual acts, even if the action of them sometimes made her blush.

She whimpered as her fingers traced her lower lips. At the same time, her free hand came up to caress her naked breast. Her finger stroked around the sensitive skin, denying the need that was building. She teased the area under her breast, and the skin around her nipple. Her gentle touch only reminded of the scene in the kitchen, when one of the redheaded brothers had taken great pleasure in playing with her right breast. Her breath caught in her throat, and she exhaled slowly as her body tensed.

She ran her finger over her lower opening, feel the warmth and wetness of her core. Her thumb reached up to gently stroke her clit, tightening that coil that was nestle in her naval. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip, keep her whimpers locked away. She teased the little bud, while squeezing her breast in time.

It was not enough. She needed more. Her body demanded something else, something more.

Using her thumb to stimulate the hidden bud, she stroked her center with two fingers, teasing but never penetrating. Her other hand was now playing with her nipple, pinching and twisting in a way that tightened that coil.

She slipped it one finger, whimpering as she did so. The water was sloshing with her movements, and dimly, she was aware that she could be quieter, but that thought was silenced as her finger retreated, and then slipped back in, increasing her pleasure.

Her eyelids grew heavy and her neck grew weak. She continued her movements, tweaking her clit, while switching to give attention to the neglected nipple. Her world has gown dark as she shut her eyes and surrendered to her touch. Her cries were growing louder, and a partially loud moan escaped her when the hand below slipped, and she pressed harder against that bundle of nerves, and her finger slammed in deep.

Perfect white teeth dug deep into her bottom lip, hoping to suppress anymore sounds.

She was _so close_. Just a little bit more.

Suddenly, a large hand encompassed her throat, a thumb tugged her bottom lip free, and warm breath washed over her ear. "Sing for me." Kagome was so startled that her fingers slipped free as she attempted to cover herself and keep her modesty.

A second hand covered her own before it could retreat far though, and he slipped two finger between her own, trapping her hand, and roughly shoved his own fingers into her womanhood. It was too much, the larger fingers, the surprise, the dominating touch at her throat, all while her body demanded release. With a whimper, and a broken moan, Kagome reached her peak. Waves of pleasure washed over her, lapping at every part of her body. Still, those long fingers didn't pause, continuing to stroke so she could ride out her orgasm.

She whimpered, her body too lethargic to fight him away, but too sensitive to received anymore pleasure. Panting breaths, not her own, teased her ears, and he gently withdrew his fingers, allowing her hand to fall limp by her side. His own hand was still cupping her mound, feeling her muscles continue to twitch.

"Don't deny me those sounds again," Shu's slow drawl teased her, as he pressed his lips to her still exposed neck.

_Son of a bitch!_

Kagome's whole body jolted as if it had been deep speared. She didn't care what those romance novels wrote or how some predators thought of it, being bit _hurt_. Thin, sharp teeth, similar to daggers, cut through the skin and embedded themselves deep within. The moist muscle of a tongue would then repeatedly lap at the wound, the mouth sucking, so it could coax more blood out.

It was not her first time being bitten, but it was the first time she actually desired it.

The energy inside her body was growing calm with each mouthful of blood taken from her. The sensations that had been wrecking her body were now calming, retreating from her system and leaving her drained. With fangs deep in her neck, her blood gently being drawn from her, she found balance.

_'It needs both energies to survive.'_

She could feel her aura settling, and her scent becoming passive once again. Still, the eldest vampire did not release her. With each mouthful of blood being drawn, Kagome felt more lethargic.

She could feel his hands moving now. One large palm had left her throat and was now stroking her left hip, while his right hand trailed up to brand itself around her stomach, pulling her deeper against the bathtub behind her. She could feel how tense his muscles were, feel his breaths from her neck, and the incessant prodding from his tongue as he continued to drink.

"Shu." She seemed only capable of panting out his name.

At the sound of his name, something changed. Carefully, he unlatched his fangs. His tongue swiped over her wound several more times, cleaning away the remnants of any leaking blood. His hand was stroking slower, as it soothing her body which was still twitching.

She felt her body give a heavy exhale, and the grasping talon that had been grasping at her chest since she had left the kitchen, released. She still wasn't quite sure what had just happened, or why it had happened.

"You smell like sex and blood," Shu's noise was still pressed against her throat, where a weak pulse could be felt. "You did get need to become so needy to get my attention."

"Like hell that was my fault." Her voice did not sound breathy! Her tone was not still husky with desire and that incessant, pulsing warmth reawakening between her legs was not there! She couldn't convince herself, and she knew by Shu's silence, that he was not fooled either. "Lai-"

"Do not say that name." The hand that had been stroking her hip turned into a harsh grip. A quiet whimper escaped her as her hipbone groaned in protest. In contrast to his painful handling, his face buried itself between her neck and shoulder, holding her even closer than before.

"Get out." _'Stupid possessive vampires don't control me.'_ The miko's palm warmed in response to her need to assert herself but she knew it was a false safety measure. Her body was still recovering from the strange onslaught, and her own pleasure, and would be unable to hold an attack. Shu didn't know this however, and his self-preservation instincts were stronger than Kagome's had been the last few days.

The next second, he was gone, leaving Kagome to slump against the tub. Disoriented, and slightly woozy from blood loss, Kagome could feel the lukewarm water lapping at her flushed skin. She exhaled softly, her head falling back as she tried to convince herself that that did not just happen. She couldn't even feel the trace of an aura nearby. As she rolled her neck, a sharp tinge reminded her of the freshly inflicted wounds.

Her hand unconsciously crept upwards to finger the wounds. Two puncture marks, about a finger length apart marred her neck. The holes were round, and clean, and the skin around the bite marks was not torn or cut. It was a clean bite, almost surgical and it was not bleeding at all.

She had suspicions that the saliva that coated the bite was the reason for the fast healing.

"How did this day go so wrong?"

* * *

Oh god, this was torture. I know it's OOC, I forewarned you all before. My muse refuses to budge though and this is how it demands to be written. Did I go too far? I seem to have hit some holiday slumps and just hate everything I'm writing, which kills my self-esteem and gives me a lot of doubts.

I postponed posting this for so long, because I have _no idea_ what I'm doing for the next chapter. So I'm turning to my readers for help. Inspired me, or the wait might be longer than usual.

What do you want to see next chapter? More smut? (Though I'm still nervous about my smut/lemon skills honestly.) Want to know more about past Kagome? What more writings of a certain brother? Want an event to happen? Want me to explore a headcannon? What are you expecting! Inspired me, and if I use your idea, you'll get a shout out next chapter.

_Fun Facts :_ Originally, this was a planned lemon story to practice my smut skills. Damn thing had to go and develop plot though. Also, above, the smut scene with Shu, was originally written with Subaru. I decided against that though, but I'm still unsure _why_. Huh.

_-Nightshade_

* * *

Editing, like always, is done shamefully by me. If a section seems raw, or you find a mistake, feel free to point it out. I'll fix it as soon as possible. This chapter will be edited after the holidays for any mistakes that might have escaped me. Thank you for your understanding!

* * *

_**A Final Note for Those Leaving Behind Flames :**_ Let me make this clear one last time. I will accept constructive criticism. I can take insults like "this is your worse chapter yet" or "your writing seems awful compared to previous chapters." I will not take flames, against myself or my readers. I will delete your review, without hesitation. I do not deserve that, and my readers do not deserve that. Tell me how to improve. Tell me a compliment sandwich. Word your review so carefully that I can't tell if it's a compliment or a flame. Be crafty, or be silent.

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This is just extra. You don't have to read this, however I will edit this part to address some guest reviewers who bring up some good points. I really wish you guys would sign in. I promise I'm not hostile, as long as you are respectful. I understand I can't please everyone.

_**To Be Honest :**_ Ouch. No better than Yui? I'm sorry you think that way. I honestly tried to avoid that. I gave her personality, a history, and tried to show she wasn't a push-over. I thought she was better than that air-head but maybe I'm wrong.

Dark reiki? I'm curious on where that part came in. Did I mismark something? Or are you addressing the part with Shu's familiar? The boys do not have reiki (which is a pure, spiritual power) nor do they have yokai. Shu was using his own kind of energy/magic to summon a familiar. The dark smoke, was not reiki. I merely said "similar to her own reiki", which I meant in looks. The "pull and push" or energy she feels from the Sakamakis, are still aura/energy. Again, it is not reiki or yokai. You can think of it as it's own section, a third branch-off, if you must, as it does not fit evenly in either pure/dark reiki category.

The jewel, in this story and my mind, is a sentinel being. It is a jewel made from four souls, so I imagine it has some "personality" (for lack of better words) for itself. From the wiki, it quotes " - finds out that the jewel is trying to make Kagome -", so it does express its own desires at times. I'm certainly not the first to think so either, as many stories I've read have done the same thing. So yes, the jewel had its own desires and wishes in this fic. It defends Kagome, as it needs a host, but when being seduced, Kagome is not being hurt or in danger, so the jewel sees no reason to defend her. The jewel is a simple thing, even if has its own mind. Kagome is not being hurt, or killed physically, so it won't defend. Mental aspects, are too complex for the jewel, which is why seduction will silence it, even if Kagome does not want to be seduced. Make sense?

My Kagome _is_ weak. She's human, and not all-powerful. She was trained, yes. She fights back, yes. You see this throughout the fic. Is she perfect? No. She does not remember being trained. She does not remember all the tricks she learned, or all the demons she has seen. Her human mind prevents this. I never wanted a character that could annihilate everyone and take over the world with her endless powers and kill the Sakamakis before they could blink. What's the fun in that? Real people are flawed, weak, strong, cry, and get confused.

Is she going to sleep with the Sakamaki? Well, it's certainly in the plans. I won't say which one, when, or how, because honestly I don't know. Why does desire make her a slut? She masturbated above, which is normal. She's not a prude, despite being a virgin, which is normal. She finds supernatural beings with the allure of sex, desirable. I think that's natural. She gets turned on in certain situations, which is natural (especially when teased!). She's certainly not jumping them the minute she met them (which was my original plan for this). So I'm confused on how she's a slut yet, when she hasn't slept with anyone yet. Is it because she finds multiple guys hot? 'Cause in harems, the male protagonist can sleep with eight different chicks and nobody seems to care. When a woman shows interest in multiple males, she's a slut though. I don't think that's fair in any way, especially when some of the top reviewed stories on this site, are harems. _Not reverse harems. _

I don't find your review hurtful, merely confusing. Perhaps I didn't explain something clearly or you were expecting something else from me. I'm sorry if I gave that impression.


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